Heal Me, I'm Heartsick
by Ugly Kitten
Summary: AU. Healing is a strange concept when you're already dead. The death of a good friend brings her to the brink of her own. Can he heal a heartsick girl? Eventual KurOC. Done! Finished! Complete!
1. Default Chapter

This story's a little darker than what I usually do, but of course, it's named after a really dark song. It took me a while to get it off the ground, but I was a stubborn ol' fool and got it there. Just so's ya'll know, Bridget is my _least_ favorite name in the book. I wanted a brand new character, and by gosh, I got one! I made a character all-new!

So, here goes.

Summary: Bridget Wolf always considered herself a normal orphan. She got shuffled around so much that getting friends didn't really matter all that much. That is, until she met her best friend Keiko Sawaguchi (not to be confused with Keiko Ukimura!!) Her entire life is changed once again when Keiko commits suicide.

And Bri feels that she died right along with her. She makes good on Keiko and hers one common dream-to do foreign exchange in Japan. Her host family, however, just might be the one thing that she needs to heal her broken heart.

However, there's just a little more to her than meets-the-eye, and it's up to Kurama and the gang to figure out just what it is. Why is Toguro back? Or is he? Why does he want her? What does Keiko Sawaguchi have to do with any of it?

Find out in Angel Sari Neko Jeminie Indigo's latest, _Heal Me, I'm Heartsick_.

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho or No Vacancy's song, _Heal Me, I'm Heartsick_. I do, however, own the idea of Empathes and Bridget's entire history.

_Heal Me, I'm Heartsick_

Chapter 1: Death of Keiko and Bridget

Heal me

I'm heartsick

I'm hungry and I'm broken

I'm haunted

Weeping

Blood of heaven

Flowing like a river tonight

Tears I can't fight

On my own

Nature sung a spectacular dirge for me that night. Lightning crashed, rain splashed in rivers of cruel, cold water. I stood on a gray hill in the black night. Dangerous winds threatened to tear my hair from my scalp, but I didn't care. I didn't care about anything or anyone.

She was dead.

My best friend was dead.

Whatever tears I had were washed away in the rain. Why had she decided that her life was meaningless? Did our friendship mean nothing to her? I growled and slashed at the rain with my hands. My howls could be heard for miles.

"KEIKO!!!"

Sobs racked at my body, throwing pieces, shards of my soul in every direction. I still hadn't told my "mom" where I was. Keiko would have told her parents everything. I never did, and she always was scolding me for it. Now I had no one to scold me for not telling my "mom" where I was.

Whatever.

Already, I could feel my heart numbing over, like a dentist had given me too much Novocain in exactly the wrong place. I sighed to myself and stood. Whatever was wrong with Keiko wouldn't happen to me. I would never let myself hurt anyone because of my actions. Keiko, you took the wrong way out.

The only problem was that I'd forgotten one vital rule about being outside during a lightning storm.

Don't.

The hairs on the back of my neck rose. It was my only warning. Light engulfed my body, throwing it high into the sky. Pain, a pain unlike any other, ripped through me seconds later. And then there was nothing. I felt like singing, suddenly. That is, until I saw my own body below me.

Dead.

I was dead.

It took me a few seconds for everything to click into place. It was like I'd expected it to happen, really. I'd been struck by lightning, that much was obvious. But why was a floating above my own body? I couldn't possibly be alive. I must be a spirit.

"A ghost. I'm a ghost. This can't-"

"Bingo! Bingo, you win the prize!"

I turned around and faced a woman with blue hair. Blue hair. Periwinkle. She wore a pink kimono and a cheerful look on her face. She was sitting on an oar, by the looks of it. Was she some kind of confused witch?

"Uh, lady? Lady, are you on crack or something?"

"Oh, no, my name's Botan. I'm a Spirit Guide, a pilot of the River Styx. You might know me better as the Grim Reaper."

This lady was missing quite a few Christmas bulbs off her tree.

"Okay, Miss Botan, maybe you'd like to tell me exactly what is going on here, because I'm lost."

"Well, you just died," Botan said. Just state the obvious, why don't you? "And usually I'd be here to steer you to the Spirit World, but unfortunately, there seems to be some kind of glitch in the system. You weren't supposed to die for several decades. You've got a good heart, too."

Good heart? Me? Maybe she'd confused me with Keiko.

"Er…Miss Botan, are you sure you're not on crack?"

"No. But we've little time. If I can just get you to go back in your body, we'll get everything squared away again. No worries, just a minor problem, you won't remember anything about this at all!"

She _had_ to be on crack. I was dead. Or at least, that's what I thought. I listened to her anyway and lowered myself into the beaten, sizzled body that I'd come from. I saw something come at me from a distance, but by then, I was already in my body and couldn't see.

When I opened my eyes again, I glanced back toward Keiko's grave.

And ran away home.

"Miss Bridget Wolf, I presume?"

I nodded, sitting up as straight as I could in my seat. Mr. Takenaka glanced over his desk at me, his small eyes grazing mine. I sat up straighter, trying to look as Keiko-ish as possible. There was only one thing Keiko and I had shared, one dream. If Mr. Takenaka chose me over the other four candidates, I would achieve that dream.

For both of us.

"You have taken two years of Japanese from Wichita State University, correct?"

I nodded once, curtly.

"Do you consider yourself a competent speaker and writer of the Japanese language?"

Again.

"Are you aware that you would not see your guardian for eleven consecutive months?"

Once again, I nodded.

"How much do you know about Japan?"

"Very little, sir. That is why I wish to participate."

"You believe that you can survive, then?"

"As always, I will do my best."

"Diplomatic. Welcome to Meikou Academy, Miss Wolf. Please be ready for the flight in two weeks. You will receive more instructions later."

A satisfied smile spread across my face as I left the room. My heart began to beat again, slow at first, then quickly. It died again soon after, but I still walked. It was enough to give me hope that just maybe I was still alive.

After that night on the hill, I wasn't sure what had happened to me. My heart stopped beating. It took me a while to notice it. Didn't really matter. We were both dead, Keiko and me.

But I'd done it. I was living our dream.

I was going to Japan.

Nemoi District, Tokyo, Japan, here I come.

It was a month before I arrived in Nemoi District at all. First, I had to get a passport and visa. Then I had to go to more Japanese classes that rigorously trained my brain for more normal classroom procedures. They made sure I could keep up with normal classes, like math and science and world history.

Sure, I was an outstanding student. But if I didn't have the background in the courses that the others did, I'd flounder. Everyone knew that.

I left on March 16 for Japan on an international flight. It was at least eighteen hours long. I lost track of it after a while, just doing whatever. Reviewing Japanese. Learning new words. Listening to the fast-talking businessman behind me going over board meeting procedures and the child next to me exclaiming about the video game he was playing. For such a long flight, it was endurable.

I landed in Tokyo. We had another two-week crash course on normal household etiquette. I would be living with a Japanese family in their home for the duration of the years I'd be here for school. So far, they sounded like nice people. Just a mom and her son, who was my age and would be attending Meikou with me. I just knew we'd be close. I'd never had a brother before, and he would be the next best thing, right?

March 27, Takenaka took me to the small Nemoi District on the outskirts of Tokyo. We were in an infamous Tokyo bullet train. I stared out the window as he continued to give me information on my host family.

He said that the family had just moved there after a fire destroyed their other house. The boy had just graduated from Meio Junior High, a school of upstanding recognition in Japan. A private school, though it was considered an excellent institution for all who attended. I had attended a magnet school, so I wasn't too worried about a war among the brains type of thing.

I was worried, most of all, whether or not he would like me. Aren't we all? I guess it is a normal reaction, but I was still mad at myself for thinking it at all. Why was I worried about such a thing? If he liked me, he liked me. And if he didn't, well, it would be a rather difficult year.

Somehow, that thought made me worry even more.

Anyways, it didn't matter anyway. How could anyone possibly worry a dead person?

"He also happens to be a friend of a former student of mine," Takenaka said. "After they met, he made a significant difference in my student's life. A real turn-around for Urameshi."

Takenaka was a teacher at Sarayaski Junior High, a school of notoriety for its diverse population. I'd researched some into the school itself. The top student from the graduating class was Ukimura. Keiko Ukimura. I found it an odd coincidence that my late best friend shared the same first name as this top student. It probably wasn't much of one to get excited about. I probably would never actually meet Ukimura.

"Nemoi District Station," rang the speakers. Takenaka took up one of my suitcases, leaving me with another suitcase and my backpack. The rest of my things would arrive in a week through normal mail.

"Nemoi is a wide district with only one station. There's a trolley that takes people from one end to the other," Takenaka explained. "It's free of charge, lucky for us. They live at the far edge of the district."

Nemoi District was more like a tiny, separate town unto itself rather than a part of the metropolis of Tokyo. An open-air trolley ran along the main street every ten minutes, but Takenaka and I had to wait for a while.

I studied the shops near the station, all of which stated their business in the normal vertical kanji. There was no sign depicting the street name, though it was usually called the "main" street of Nemoi. It was wider than most Japanese streets, like any small town I'd ever been in.

The trolley arrived, basically a bus with no sides and wooden seats with no seat belts, connected to a wire hanging over the street. A man pushed a button, then sat back in the seat as the trolley jerked forward at less than ten miles an hour. It was a little slower than a human jogging. People jumped on every once in a while, or jumped off, with little difficulty. I guess it took some getting used to.

And it made seeing the main street pretty easy.

I spotted a fruit-and-veggie mart and a noodle stand, an okonomiyaki restaurant and a McDonalds. For a few minutes, there were only houses. Then there was a convenience store and a gas station, and a huge arcade. I could see right into the arcade, where there were DDR machines lining the back wall. I smirked to myself. I'd be in there a lot, I knew right away.

Most, if not all, of the shops were old, Ma-n'-Pa's types. Owned by ordinary people. I guess in Nemoi, franchises and corporations weren't all that welcome. Judging by McDonald's, which was almost bare of the human species, I think I had it pretty much right. Takenaka asked me what I thought.

"Just my type of place," I said. We transitioned once again into a group of houses. "Isn't that the trolley station up there?"

"Yes, and this would be our stop," Takenaka said, getting heavily to his feet. "The trick is to run along the ground as you jump off."

Nervously, I nodded.

He jumped off, jogging next to the trolley. Despite his rather large build, he kept up well. He took my other suitcase and I took hold of the golden bar outside. I took a deep breath, positioned my feet along the ground and ran midair as I jumped off the trolley. With a sigh, I realized that the entire ordeal was over in less than a second and had been honestly rather simple.

"Follow me," Takenaka said, handing back the other suitcase. I obeyed, simple as that.

Several of the people walking past stared for a second, and then smiled politely. A young girl ran up to me, holding a ball twice her size tightly.

"Shuichi's new sister?" she asked in a tiny, squeaky voice.

"I guess so," I said, uncertain. I hadn't learned the son's name yet, nor his mother's. I knew that their surname was Minamino, though.

"You'll like him," said the little girl. "He's quiet, but really, really nice."

Her ball fell out of her arms and she chased after it. Takenaka smiled as I continued walking beside him to a quaint little house. It was white with green trim and was about half the size of my house back in Kansas. A tiny patch of grass was nearly overrun with plants and a single cherry tree. Pale pink petals littered the lawn. I'd obviously missed the special time when cherry trees are in full bloom.

How I wish I hadn't. Even though I'd seen a few in Tokyo, it just wasn't the same, I think. I sighed and followed Takenaka up to the small front porch. There was a small porch swing that took up nearly the entire space, accompanied by many more plants. I smiled to myself. Flowers were Keiko's favorite things in the world. Especially dogwood flowers, for some strange reason.

My favorite flowers were roses and cherry blossoms.

Takenaka knocked on the door, which was painted a cheerful shade of green. A shuffle came from the other side of the door, followed by a jiggle with the knob. The door flew open, to reveal a middle-aged woman with brown hair and smiling eyes. She bowed before speaking.

"Takenaka-sensei, hello!"

"Hello, Minamino-san," he replied. "This is Wolf Bridget, the student I told you about."

"Good morning!" I greeted, giving the customary bow myself. "I'm pleased to meet you."

"Pleased to meet you, too, Wolf-san," she said, smiling. "Please, come inside. Won't you stay for lunch, Takenaka-sensei?"

"If it doesn't trouble you."

"Not at all!"

Minamino-san struck me as a very polite, motherly woman. She reminded me of my own adopted mother, in a few ways, but more of Keiko's father than my adoptive mother. I wondered if the son was anything like Keiko.

"Shuichi!" Minamino-san called into what appeared to be a closet. It turned out to be the basement stairs. "Shuichi, she's here!"

Takenaka put down my suitcase as I heard the sound of feet touching stairs. A flash of red, and then I saw him. He was awfully cute. Heart-twisting red hair, sparkling and wise emerald eyes, and a smooth face marked by a few telltale scars. Instantly, like a connection I could feel inside my heart, I could tell he was burdened by death, too. It struck me as odd that I knew that right off.

But I ignored it and gave him a bow as greeting, too.

"Welcome to our home," he said, a little out of breath, but nonetheless polite.

"It's nice to meet you, Minamino-san."

"You may call me Shuichi," he said. "May I call you Bridget?" Except he slaughtered the entire pronunciation. It sounded more like "Burigita". I laughed at it, but stopped when a faint blush covered his cheeks.

"Sorry," I said. "Just call me Bri or Neko. I hate Bridget."

He looked confused. "Neko?"

"I can sound just like a cat," I said quickly. "It's a nickname and I'm fond of it."

He nodded.

"Well, I'd better go make lunch." His mother said. "Bri, you may call me Kaasan, too. I've always wanted a daughter."

I blushed, but nodded.

"Shuichi, help her unpack while I make lunch."

"Okay, Kaasan. Your room's next to mine downstairs," Shuichi said. "Mom heard that you had the basement bedroom at your house in Kansas."

"Yeah, but I sleep well just about anywhere," I said. "Isn't this town called Nemoi? That means 'sleepy', right?"

He chuckled. "Indeed. It is a rather sleepy little place. I find it soothing, myself."

"Yeah. I like the Ma-n'-Pa atmosphere. Say, where's our school at, anyway?"

"We'll have to leave early in the morning," Shuichi said, almost as a warning. "It's about half an hour away by bullet train."

We'd reached the bottom step. A short hallway held four doors. The first on the right was Shuichi's room, very clean and organized. The second was my room, bare with the exception of a bed, a desk, and a dresser. On the left was a bathroom, followed by a laundry room.

Shuichi set my suitcase on the floor (when had he picked it up?) and I followed suit with the one I was carrying. I slid my backpack onto the bed. He turned to me and asked what my favorite color was.

"Red," I answered. "And blue."

He left without another word and returned shortly with a bright red bed sheet and a blue pillow. While he made my bed, I set to work piling clothes into the dresser. At least for the moment, my room would be organized. I made sure he was still working on the bed and jammed my underwear and bras into the bottom drawer.

We were done in about ten minutes with the suitcases, which he vanished with after I told him I was done with them. I piled my CD player, purse, and small selection of books onto the dresser as he returned. My backpack hung on the knob of the bare closet.

"Shuichi, Bri, lunch is ready!"

"Shall we?" I grinned and pranced up the stairs. I was starving. Forget manners. Shuichi followed at a slower pace.

So, what do you think of Bri? Wow, I've never written about someone so different from myself before in the first person. I keep writing "she" instead. The story is from both Bri and Kurama's point of view, though this was just to get you introduced to Bri. Yes, you did read correctly. Her heart stopped beating after the night on the hill.


	2. Paranoia Bomb

Okay, quick disclaimer on this one: I do not own DDR. Actually, I planned this to be the only mention of my admittedly favorite video game… But it turned into a plot point. Vv I am such an idiot…

For those unfamiliar with the game, it's a simple one. Basically, there's a floor pad with four arrows (front, back, right, and left). The screen displays arrows in a particular sequence to a song. It starts out really, really simple, but once you get past the "Light Mode", it's nearly impossible for us fat people. Just a quick happy note here: I've lost sixty pounds since I started playing and dropped four jeans sizes, so this thing really works.

So, on with the tale!

(Another note: Please review? Please?)

Chapter 2: Paranoia Bomb

Takenaka left after lunch. I was alone in a home I currently was assimilating into and wasn't really a part of just yet. The Minaminos were nice, don't get me wrong. It's just that at the moment, I really didn't belong there. Shuichi vanished and reappeared several times. How did he do that?

"Would you like to come with me, Bri?" He asked as I stood up from the table. I carried my dishes to the sink, where Kaasan beat me off with a rubber glove for trying to help wash the dishes. "I'm going to meet some friends at the arcade."

"Sure!" I grinned. "I want to try out those DDR machines."

"You DDR?"

"Yeah! I was the champ back in Wichita." I was, of course, lying. I'd never been much of a challenger to anyone else, though I'd been rather good with scores. Shuichi, though, did not need to know this particular piece of information.

"I'm not quite sure you'll keep that here," he said, a small smile touching his lips. "My friend Yusuke currently holds that particular title."

"Is that a challenge?" I asked slyly.

"If you accept it in that context, then yes."

"Ooh, big words."

Maybe I was wrong about that war among the brains thing…

"Let's go, then."

The view from outside the arcade and inside of it turned out to be much different. There were only four DDR machines, each evenly spaced so that you couldn't hear much of what was going on the other ones. When we arrived, there were already two boys pounding it out on the far right hand machine. Shuichi headed straight for the boys and I followed. A few others lingered around besides the two boys on the machine.

"Hello, hello, Shuichi!" shouted a very familiar-looking girl. She had periwinkle-blue hair and a huge grin on her face. Where had I seen her before? It was on the edge of my mind…

"Hello to you, too, Botan," Shuichi smiled softly. "Bri, this is one of my friends, Botan."

"Hi! You must be the foreign exchange student staying with Shuichi," she grinned. "Hey, have we met, you seem awfully familiar?"

"Same here, but I can't seem to recall," I shrugged. "Oh, well, not that important. We've met now."

"Right-o!"

The over-happy grin on her face was a little unnerving and seemed to be forced. Was she on crack?

A second girl, one with short brown hair that seemed to have been _burned _off and a severe look on her face, glared at one of the boys on the machine. It was almost like she could have scorched him right off the pad.

The DDR machine trilled sharply as the song ended. The boy on the right had a sort of slicked-back black hairstyle that he probably thought made him look macho. More like pathetic. The one on the left looked like an ugly, tall Elvis with orange hair and bulky muscles. They made his head look really small and horse-like.

"I beat you, fair and square, Kuwabara!" shouted the black-haired boy. "Pay up already!"

"You cheated, Urameshi! No way!"

"Kuwabara, Yusuke didn't touch you, how could he have cheated?" asked the brown-haired girl sharply.

The Elvis grumbled but handed the other several tokens anyway. That's when the duo noticed me.

"Hey, Kurama, is this that new kid?" asked the black-haired one.

"Kurama?" I blinked at my red-haired friend. "That a nickname, Shuichi?"

"Er, yes, yes, it is, but I'd rather not have it known publicly," Shuichi gave the one who'd spoken a severe look. "This is Bri. Bri, this is Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Keiko. Keiko will be attending Meikou with us this year."

My heart nearly started. "From Sarayaski Junior High, right? Takenaka told me about you, I didn't think you'd be going to Meikou, too. I thought something with more prestige would be in order."

"Mr. Takenaka told you about me?" Keiko blushed. "I didn't want to go to any of the other schools. Meikou is closer to my house than any of the other schools."

"Ah," I nodded. "Hey, which one was Yusuke again, I was going to challenge 'im to DDR."

"That would be me," said the black-haired one pompously, thumbing his chest. He kicked the Elvis out of the way. Kuwabara protested, but I merely stared at Yusuke. Poor Kuwabara. "Step up and dance, chick. You're no match for me." I forgot about the Elvis man and clambered up.

"Less talk, more dance," I said, shoving a few quarters into the machine. "Mind if I choose the song?"

"Be my guest."

I clicked the arrows onto my favorite song: _Hysteria_. It'd taken me weeks to master it as a fledgling Light moder, but as I rose up through the ranks into masterdom, it'd become a snap for me. Most of the time, people didn't like it because it only got harder. I was hoping Yusuke was one of those people.

"Best three out of four," Yusuke said. "If we even tie, I'll buy you a soda."

"You're on," I grinned. "If I win, though, you're taking _everyone_ out for dinner, Kaasan included." He stole a glare at my cocky grin, then handed it right back on a golden platter, complete with silverware.

"All right, you're on, chick."

"Stop calling me chick." I slammed the "OK" button down and hopped onto the pad in my ready mode. The machine threw its light in our faces, but that only made me all the more determined. I forgot about the other people and Yusuke. Now, it was just me, the machine, and my own little world. I jumped onto the pads, twirled, twisted, dove, and stepped as fast as the steps went. Each one stated "Perfect!" or "Great!" It was my best _Hysteria_ ever. When the song ended, I was panting slightly, but I'd beaten Yusuke by several thousand points.

"No way! I'm picking the next song."

I only gestured to the screen. I nearly choked when I saw his choice.

"_Cow Girl_, Urameshi? That's lame."

"Hey, I happen to like this song," he said in defense.

Well, to tell the truth, I'd only played that particular song once or twice in my days at the arcade back in Kansas. And in all honesty, I think Yusuke had played it more often. He beat me the second round. I growled to myself and stepped forward.

"_Drop the Bomb_? You don't seem the type."

"I'm an eclectic, get dancing, boy."

I was already tired and aching, but this song was important. Either I won this song, or I ate my own words. That all faded away as I listened to one of my favorite songs. I could dance to _Drop the Bomb _in my sleep. Needless to say, I won third round.

"May I choose the last song?" Shuichi stepped forward. "To give the final round a…curve, might you say?"

"Sure, go ahead," Yusuke said.

Somehow, I felt that there was something amiss here, but I didn't say anything. I gave a curt nod. Shuichi kept his back in the way so that Yusuke and I couldn't see the song until it started playing.

_Paranoia_.

Most people would have panicked. But I'd been practicing this particular song over and over for several weeks, even though I still did miserably on it. For most beginners, _Paranoia_ is the type of song to avoid.

I always went for the head-on collision.

I missed several of the steps and only made a "Good" on some, but I felt pretty good about my end score. Imagine my surprise when Yusuke and I glanced at the scores on our screen.

Exactly the same.

We'd tied.

Every step of the way.

"Oh, my God," I said. "That's totally impossible…it can't be. How can two people make the same mistakes on the same song at exactly the same time?"

"It is improbable, but not impossible," Shuichi said, smiling quietly. "This, however, means that you are victorious, Bri."

I blinked. "Hey, yeah, you're right."

"But we tied!" Yusuke yelled.

"On this song. However, she previously won two out of three."

"But the bet was three out of four!"

"Not really," I said. "You accepted the terms that if, and I quote myself, 'If I win.' To which you answered, 'All right, you're on, chick.' And again, I say, do not call me 'chick' again."

Yusuke glared at me, but was soundly defeated.

"Yea! We get to go out to eat on Urameshi!" Kuwabara yelled. He threw an arm around my shoulder. My back stiffened. "All thanks to…what was your name again?"

"It's Bri. Bri Wolf. Would you mind letting me go?"

"Oh, oh, yeah, sure." He released me.

"Well, let's go inform everyone, whomever 'everyone' can mean," I said. "Where's a good dinner place around here?"

"Sammy's is good," Keiko said. "It's an American-style pizza place. Decent prices, too."

"I get the feeling we're feeding an army, so I guess that's a good idea," I shrugged. "Tell the others, then. I guess I'll get to meet everyone else, then, right?"

"We should invite Hiei," Shuichi said. "He probably won't come, but we should invite him nonetheless."

"Why wouldn't he come for free food?" I asked. That, at least to me, was the universal thing that everyone would want. Who wouldn't want free food?

"It isn't quite the food as it is the company…" Shuichi said, glancing at Kuwabara pointedly. I know the boy seemed fairly annoying, but to give up _free food_ for the sake of avoiding annoyances seemed a little extreme. At least, to me, it did.

I didn't voice this, only shrugged and said: "Invite him. Who knows, maybe he'll come, anyway."

Shuichi still looked doubtful, but nodded. "I will find him. Do you know your way back?"

"Yeah. See you later!"

I smiled at the others and ran to catch the passing trolley.

Here's my theory on how a girl like Bri, without the same powers as Yusuke, could possibly beat him on DDR: He lacks any real coordination. I really do think that Kurama would make a better DDR player than Yusuke, simply for his grace. I think that's why DDR becomes a plot point…

Review? Please?


	3. Suspicious File

Sorry for the super-long wait! This story is completely completed, btw, I just need to upload it and is not cooperating.

Okay, this is the first chapter in Kurama's POV. You'll see that there really is something more to Bri than meets-the-eye. I will tell you right now, that although powerful in a way, Bri is not powerful like the boys are. Physically, she is _just_ like a normal human.

However, you will see that she has something that no one else does have. I own the ideas of an Empathe, however slight the idea. Please don't take them. They aren't mentioned yet, but I did want ya'll to know that…

Chapter 3: Suspicious File

Kurama 

What a strange girl. She ran away from us, clumsy and slow, and hopped aboard the passing trolley with little grace. How had she possibly been so good at this game? Yusuke stared after her, even as Keiko and Botan walked off. Kuwabara scratched his head.

"I didn't do anything funny that time," Kuwabara said. "Why'd she do that?"

"She didn't like your ugly clams on her shoulder, idiot," Yusuke said. "I can't believe I lost to a girl. A Yank, no less."

"She's from Kansas, not New York," I corrected. "There's something strange about her."

"What, besides the fact that she's butchering all her 'r' sounds?"

"Yes, more than that. I don't trust her. Something isn't right."

"Whoa, Kurama, I didn't think I'd ever hear that out of you," Kuwabara said. "I mean, usually you wait a few days before saying you don't trust someone. Maybe you don't trust them right off, but usually you wait…"

"I know. Something is not right here. I don't think she was the one that Takenaka was supposed to have chosen."

"What, you think she killed someone to get here or something?"

"It's not that," I shook my head. "I must find Hiei."

I found Hiei in our usual training area. He was, of course, training. I could hear trees and branches falling from several miles off before I found him. When at last I found him in a clearing, he'd already put away his katana.

"Fox, what do you want?"

"The new foreign exchange student," I said. My manners were forgotten when I was alone with Hiei. "What do you know of her?"

He leaped into a tree. I knew what he was doing. My worries were not unfounded, then. Hiei's hesitation was proof enough of that. I leaned against the tree he was in and waited for his answer. If I asked again, he would only get annoyed and make me wait longer. I knew Hiei well after the time we'd been partners.

"Her name is Bridget Wolf." Unlike me, he didn't butcher her name. "Birth date is April 1, 1986. She is the daughter of Marion Wolf and Tsuki Sawaguchi. She never knew her real mother was who she was. Her father is unknown besides his name. Her best friend and half sister, Keiko Sawaguchi, recently committed suicide."

I nearly broke my neck craning to see if he was serious. This wasn't at all what I'd expected. I'd expected to hear that she was some demon that had killed the real Bridget Wolf in order to assassinate Yusuke or myself.

"That is all the information I could get out of Koenma."

"What?" I turned around and stared straight up into his red eyes. Usually, Koenma could tell us plenty on human records. They were kept so much neater by the ogres.

"Here's the report."

A slim manila envelope fell into my hands.

"Oh, and you're invited to Sammy's for pizza, Hiei," I told him.

"Hn."

I took that as a yes. He jumped away before I could clarify.

Why did Hiei have to act so similar to a grasshopper?

I opened the manila folder he'd given me. Usually, these things weighed tons each, especially on humans. They kept a good track of humans, those ogres did. Trying to keep track of anything but a demon's criminal record was insanity bordering on mental suicide. However, Bridget Wolf's file looked more like my own than a human's.

The most interesting thing about it was the inherent lack of information. It didn't state where she was born or anything else beyond what Hiei had told me. However, in the far right hand corner, almost indistinguishable from the rest of the file, was a faint word. It was penciled, and then half erased.

_Lightning_.

With that information alone, I went home. I didn't take the train or the trolley; I just went as fast as my legs could carry me. Which was faster, I hope. Quietly, I told my mother that I was home and asked if Bri had made it.

"Of course, she's down in her room."

I wish I could tell her how much I distrusted this girl.

But my mother was so excited about Bri. As if she hadn't just agreed to host a foreign exchange student, but had adopted Bri as her own daughter. I didn't know quite how to feel about that. I'd always been an only child. Now, I wasn't. Mother was chirping about the living room with a feather duster like a little bird.

How was I supposed to feel?

The only thing I felt was confused.

I descended the steps into my own room and slid the manila folder between two books on my shelf. Like magic, it vanished there. Curiosity got the better of me. The only way I was going to find out more about Bri was by talking directly with her.

Bri left the door wide open and I stood in the doorframe. She was writing in a composition notebook with a mechanical pencil. I knew English, of course, but I couldn't make out any of the words. She closed it with a practiced ease, trying to appear as if the notebook was nothing. Slowly, she turned toward me and smiled.

"Hi, Shuichi. Did you find Hiei all right?"

I know what you all are doing. Rolling the eyes. Some of you prolly already pressed the back button. For those still here, _please_ give it a chance! It isn't like other stories, I _promise_!


	4. Sammy's Pizza

Sorry for the super-long wait! I've been having some trouble with of late, and I just lost a good friend through suicide. I've got finals this week, but to make up for it, I'm going to put four chapters up! Really! If cooperates, that is…

Really, I know who Shiori is. I do. I just like calling her Kaasan! Someone emailed me about it. Just to clear that up…

Disclaimer: Anything you recognize, I don't own. There. I said it. Can I have my cookie now, Kurama-sama?

Kurama: Of course not. You're a bad kitty.

UK: **pouts** Puh-wease?

Kurama: No.

Chapter 4: Sammy's Pizza

Bridget 

I announced my return to Kaasan, and then descended into my new room again. It was bare and plain, but I rather liked it so far. I rifled through my backpack and pulled out my journal in hopes of placing exactly my thoughts on the people I'd met so far on the page before seeing them again for dinner.

Instead, this is what I wrote:

_When Keiko and I were younger, we'd always wanted to go to Keiko's father's native land of Japan. He gave us pictures and trinkets, but we always hungered for more. I was intrigued by this nation that was comprised entirely of short people (I was seven!). These people who wore pretty things to celebrate a child's health and the fact that two stars came together once a year. _

_I wanted to know more, I needed to know more. I wanted to taste sushi and okonomiyaki, wear a kimono for the summer matsuri, and watch the cherry blossoms float down from the trees. Keiko wanted to go there for different reasons._

_She wanted to learn. She always wanted to learn, and Kansas's schools liked students who sat in their chairs and stared dumbly at their teacher as they repeated information from the year before. Keiko and I both wanted it, to an extent, but I was more interested in the people than the schools. _

_It's rather sad that Keiko lost herself in learning so much that she went and did…what she did. _

_So here I was, finally in Japan, ready to learn about the people._

_But Keiko wasn't here._

_She was dead._

_And I guess, even though I lived on, I was dead, too. I was living what Keiko wanted, and what I wanted, too. Living two lives at once, with a dead heart. Death is such a fickle thing. You dance around its edges and still you can't see in until you're there. I guess that's why I didn't follow Keiko to my own real death. My heart had stopped beating, but I was still walking._

I stopped writing about there and set down my black BIC pen. Slowly, I closed my journal and set it back inside my bag with I hoped was a practiced ease. I hoped he didn't think that it was a journal. Just something I was writing, nothing more. I hadn't even told my adoptive mother that Keiko was dead.

My adoptive mother had always been, if anything, oblivious to the world.

I, however, was not.

"Hi, Shuichi," I said. "Did you find Hiei all right?"

"Yes." I could hear the surprise in his voice, though he tried to mask it. "I did. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to—"

"It's all right." Even in my own ears, it sounded rushed. "So, what time are we meeting the others for supper?"

"Six o'clock. It gives Yusuke ample time to find and protect Yukina from Kuwabara."

"I think I don't want to ask."

"That would be wise."

I laughed to myself and heard a small chuckle come from the quiet Shuichi. The little girl had been correct about my new "brother". He was quiet, but very, very nice.

"So, tell me more about the school we are to attend," I said, offering him a seat by me on my bed. "They tried to tell me more about it, but I snoozed through most of it."

"You sound more and more like Yusuke," he chuckled.

"Don't compare me to the loser," I said, laughing, too.

"Meikou is a prestigious high school, fairly new to Tokyo. They opened to entering freshmen in 1999, and this year they will have their first senior class from that year. They have a very interesting curriculum, which includes at least one mode of self-defense during the second semester of freshman year. That is why I chose it."

"Why?"

"I know several forms of martial arts, though many of them I have not practiced in quite some time. It's an opportunity to improve."

I chuckled. He sounded like Keiko. "All I wanted was to come to Japan. This was the only program that paid for itself."

"They obviously saw something in you that they wanted, or they wouldn't have picked you." It sounded a bit forced. I could tell Shuichi didn't trust me.

Our conversation about Meikou continued for a long time. I found out more about Shuichi as time went by. Like he had an entire group of girls who called themselves his "fan club" and followed him around at Meio. And how he and Yusuke had met when Kaasan was really sick. I couldn't believe that Kaasan had been on the brink of death not a year ago. She seemed to be in perfect health now.

When at last we stopped talking about it, it was not by choice. Kaasan had informed us that it was five thirty. It would take twenty minutes to get to Sammy's.

I was getting used to getting on the trolley without much difficulty by now. However, I still had some trouble with the bullet trains. Not because getting on one was very difficult, mind, but the maps are the things. They're written in all Japanese, hiragana. I had more experience with katakana and romanji, though I knew I would have to switch to hiragana once school started. To a foreigner, those things are darn near impossible to make out. Luckily for me, Shuichi knew where we were going.

Sammy's turned out to be a restaurant that an American family from New York had opened two years ago. The sign was written in regular vertical, but in katakana. Most people wouldn't know how to say "Sammy" in kanji.

I don't think there is such a thing.

The restaurant had a homey sort of atmosphere, with soft lights and dark red seats. I spotted the familiar arcade faces at the two largest tables near the back of the restaurant, the ugly Elvis (Kuwabara), Yusuke, and Keiko. Botan was nowhere in sight.

Unnecessarily, the Elvis decided to wave us over, shouting both our names clear across the restaurant. The other two or three people there stared at us. Needless to say, I hit Kuwabara over the head the minute I was near enough.

"Hey! What was that for!"

"For being an idiot," I said bluntly.

"I like this girl," said an older woman with long brown hair. "I'm Atsuko Urameshi."

"Bridget Wolf," I smiled. "Call me Bri."

The others introduced themselves as Yukina (a lovely girl with mint green hair and a shy smile), Shizuru (Kuwabara's significantly better-looking sister), Genki (an elderly woman with a glare that could incinerate an iceberg), Hinageshi (a spritely younger girl with hair a bit redder than Shuichi's), and Hiei (a really short guy with defying-gravity black hair and red eyes. He wore a white bandana). With them, Yusuke, Kuwabara, Shuichi, Kaasan, Atsuko, and me, we took up two tables. The waitress looked pleased as she made her way toward us.

And spoke in perfect English.

"Hi, what can I get for you?"

"Can we have a moment to decide?" I asked, and then switched back to Japanese. "Um, Keiko, exactly how many people here actually understand English?"

"You, me, and Shuichi," she said, blushing. "I usually order for everyone, but you know what you're doing…"

"Okay. Yusuke's paying the bill, so what does everyone want?"

We ended up getting two cheese pizzas, two veggie pizzas, one supreme pizza with octopus ink (a Japanese addition), and an unlimited breadstick deal. Yusuke had to shell out about seventy dollars, according to Shuichi (I still hadn't figured out yen). Since I'd arrived, I'd never felt more at home than right then and there.

Talk soon turned to separate people. I spoke with Keiko, mostly, about what we did for fun. When I told her I liked American Rock, she kind of gave me a funny look before admitting that she liked older German and British rock n' roll.

"Hey, why don't we go shopping tomorrow?" she suggested. "I can take you to get your school uniform and supplies."

"That'd be great!" I grinned. "Uniforms sound pretty nice, to tell the truth. I mean, set them out the night before, put them on, eat breakfast and go, right? Not even twenty minutes, tops. Unless you take a shower, then it's thirty. I used to have to wake up an hour early because I had to root through my closet for something to wear, even as simple as my clothes always are."

"I've been wearing them since I was a junior high freshman," Keiko said. "It never bothered me at all. Of course, Yusuke never wore the uniform. He always was getting into trouble."

"What kind of trouble?" I asked, glancing at the scarfing hog. "Like forgetting his homework kind or getting into fights kind?"

"Fighting," she said quietly. "Especially with Kuwabara. They're always fighting."

"I've noticed," I said dryly. She laughed. "So, when did they become friends like that? I mean, when you fist fight all the time, it's kind of hard to discover something about someone, right?"

I sort of knew what I was talking about. Keiko S. and I used to be all "battle of the brains" and we never actually got to know each other until later. I sort of drifted away from that battle in favor of other types, though. Battling against myself was sort of more important.

"Well…it kind of started out when Yusuke helped Kuwabara out against another guy who was holding a hostage."

"Hostage?" Whoa, this was good.

"Well…it was a cat."

"Hey, cats are cool!" I said, scowling. "My nickname's Neko, ya know!"

"Oh, oh, sorry," she grimaced. "Well, Yusuke helped him out of that scrape then Kuwabara helped him out of another…Slowly, they became friends. I was kind of absent for the majority of it."

"Oh. Well, that's okay. They're friends now, even though they still kind of…fight…all the time." The two idiots hadn't heard a word. They were currently fighting over who would get the last slice of cheese pizza.

"Yeah." Keiko sighed.

I stealthily reached out and grabbed the last slice. By the time they realized it was gone, I'd already eaten it. Both stared at the platter, dumbfounded. Keiko and I giggled, but neither boy really connected it to what had happened to their pizza.

Boys.

Kurama 

"What do you think of her, Hiei?" I came to a stop beneath one of his favorite trees. I knew he was there, even though he still hadn't spoken. Patiently, I waited for his response.

"Odd."

That's all he said.

"What do you mean?"

"Hidden. Secretive. Just odd."

"You're describing yourself, Hiei," I chuckled softly.

"Then we had best be on alert. She's hiding something."

"But what?"

"Hn."

That would be an "I don't know" in Hiei-ish. I sighed and walked back toward the station to get home. If my mother found me gone, she would wonder.

"Watch her carefully, fox."

And then Hiei was gone.

Come on, cue the eye-roll. Who knows boys are just that stupid to not figure out that Bri had taken the pizza? (Sorry to any guys who are reading this, I'm on a girl-power trip right now.) Now we've got a pretty good idea on who Bri is, how Kurama feels about her (mistrusting), and the others have all met her (save Koenma. That will be fixed soon enough).

So…what does everyone think?

Okay, to whoever asked about why Kurama didn't trust Bri… Even though she's really nice, she's very secretive-like, right? It's like she's covering something up, and she is. And Kurama always seems to know when something's wrong. He just kind of jumped to the wrong conclusion, is all. He _has_ done that before…I think…I know he did it once, I just can't remember when. Gomen ne!


	5. School is the Blues

So…yeah, I promised this story. Oh, before I forget…THANK YOU SO MUCH to my reviewers! I'm soooooo happy! You've no idea how happy reviews make me! And good ones, with something to say, too. Ya'll are da best!

Kurama: Now you get the cookie.

UK: That's why you didn't give it to me before? **takes cookie** Macadamia nut chocolate cookie with bits of white, dark, and milk chocolate! I'm in heaven! (For those who don't know, I'm on a diet. No cookies except on special occasions. No, NOT one of those stupid low-fat/carb diets, a normal one. Just without my sugar-high stuff like Mountain Dew and cookies and-and…POCKY! **Cries **I miss Pocky.)

Disclaimer: Recognize it? I prolly don't own it, cakes.

Chapter 5: School is the Blues

Bri 

The last week or so that we had before school began, Keiko and I really hit it off. We went shopping the morning after Yusuke treated everyone to pizza. Botan met us on a Tokyo strip and the three of us shopped for clothes.

Keiko and I bought our school uniforms, which really weren't all that bad. They were skirts (ugh), but they were short pleated skirts that we were allowed to wear shorts under. I soon learned that these red skirts, along with the sailor-like white top and red ties, were very traditional Japanese uniforms.

The three of us (Keiko, Botan, and me) went everywhere in the days leading up to day one of school. Keiko showed me the Karaoke Box (and found out what a terrible singer I really am) and the American cinema (the actual movies with Japanese subtitles). They showed me how to play Go and a card game called Ryu-Ken.

Keiko S. and Keiko U. have a lot in common. I'm sure they would have been friends, had Keiko S. not committed suicide. Maybe the four of us, Keiko S., Keiko U, Botan, and me. BBKK. It sounded so good, I almost picked up the phone to ring Keiko S. to tell her about it before remembering that she was dead.

And I was dead, too.

So that meant that there was only BK.

Like Burger King.

I laughed at the thought and wrote it down in my journal later.

However, all good things must end, and school decided that we would be stopping all this foolish fun nonsense right away. Keiko, Shuichi, and I, lucky for us, ended up in the same classroom. A-2. Freshman, room two. Like Shuichi had said, we got up an hour early, dressed, ate, and boarded the bullet train for half an hour before arriving two blocks from the school.

The school was huge. Tall and majestic, yet simple and seven stories tall. We got our room assignment in the mail, of course.

It looked just like any other classroom I'd ever been in, except that the walls were bare so far and blackboard was still clean. The desks were in neat, straight little rows, with a hollow desk and a connected chair with a wire basket underneath. I was glad for it. These flimsy little briefcase things would never be able to hold everything.

Someone once told me that I had obsessive-compulsive disorder. I have to keep everything and everything has to be in its place or I go nuts. Maybe it was Keiko S. I don't know. I can't remember. I barely remember that she'd told me only a day before she took her own life that I needed to get more friends.

I'd asked her why. All I really needed was her.

And she'd told me that she wouldn't always be there.

Basically, I'd handed her the reason to die.

I'd killed her.

I stopped thinking those thoughts and concentrated on the room. I needed a window seat, like on the plane. I'd get sick if I didn't know where I was. I knew where I was, I just needed some solid reason, I guess.

Shuichi sat behind me. Keiko to my right. I sat in the second desk from the front, looking right outside into a cherry tree. So beautiful. The clock ticked away. Tick tock. Tick tock. I wanted nothing more than to sit and watch the cherry tree. A sparrow had made its nest not three feet from my window.

I saw a flash of black. Tried not to panic. Why would I panic? There was nothing after me, not that I knew of. It was probably my imagination. I shifted my eyes to the front, where a Japanese man stood strongly at the head of the class.

Like a military official.

I got the feeling this class would be hell. He stared down a sharp nose through a pair of sharp sunglasses, his chin jutting out like a rock. I heard Shuichi's breathing change pattern, only slightly.

I could tell.

He was worried, too.

"My name is Toguro-sensei," he said. "I am your homeroom and biology teacher. Welcome to this class. I will tolerate nothing."

He spoke a word I knew meant to basically stand and give respect. I scrambled to my feet as the others did it with practiced ease. Everyone bowed just slightly. I tried to mimic them, but probably failed miserably. Toguro-sensei spoke again.

"Wolf, I will see you after class."

How did he know my name?

However, I had little time to ponder. He dove straight into a lecture about biology overall, which I scrambled to take notes on. He talked way too fast! I couldn't translate it in my head, and then onto the paper fast enough. Finally, I just gave up and tried to understand what he was saying. I reduced myself to doodling on the scrambled notes from before.

They looked like scrambled eggs rather than katakana and broken English.

When the bell rang (it sounded like a piece of piano music, actually), I approached the front with a trembling visage. Toguro-sensei glanced at me. I could feel his glare straight through his sharp sunglasses. It felt like a knife in my gut.

"I expect the same respect from you as the other students," he said, slowly. "You came here with what you called competent Japanese. Act like it."

And he left me in the dust, stabbing me at least a dozen more times with everything he'd said and did in less than two minutes.

I sat back in my chair and sighed, staring at the ceiling. My hair probably fell on Shuichi's desk. I know how annoying that can be. I sat back up.

"You okay?" Keiko asked. "Toguro-sensei seems really strict."

"He sounds like a military officer over the maggots he has to whip into shape in a week," I said dryly. "I knew someone like that once. But he gives me goosebumps, a real bad case of them, too."

"Yeah, I think so, too. Why did he single you out?"

"I'm the stupid Yank, remember?" I grinned.

"But you're not a Yank, you're from Kansas."

"Duh. I'm still from America, though. They seem to hold that against you in other countries, from what I've seen so far. At least in Japan."

I sighed and sank into the desk. "He talked so fast, I couldn't keep up. I guess I'm just going to have to look through the book and learn as much as I can on my own…"

"Nonsense. Just ask him to slow down."

"He lectured the entire hour. I don't think he'll slow down for one student. He made it quite clear that he doesn't like me."

"You're not even going to try?"

"What good will it do?"

"You sound exactly like Yusuke, you know that?"

"I don't skip class."

"But you aren't trying, either!"

"I like to learn, unlike Yusuke," I said in defense. "It's just that I don't see the point in forcing people to teach me something that they obviously don't want to teach. He's got other students he has to deal with. Why bother him?"

She just growled in that frustrated way we all know and love. I sighed again and nearly started when the piano bell played again. Another teacher stepped into the room, a tall, sharp-looking woman with pale pink hair. She introduced herself, and then dove right into a lecture on pre-calculus. What was with these teachers and lectures?

She was a little slower than Toguro, but I managed to keep up in romanji. I wrote the notes and would probably translate later. I barely understood that we were going to start just normal algebraic stuff at first, then get into infinities and junk like that. I wanted to wrap a cord around my throat by the end of it all.

Our third teacher was a short little woman with white, white hair and the most piercing, wise blue eyes I'd ever seen. Her name was Gunner, and she was half German. She would be our English teacher. Almost immediately, she told us to put away our book. She spoke in English.

"You know all of the things you need for a traditional English conversation," Gunner said. "What you don't know is how to read English literature. This class will focus on short stories, poetry, and one novel. It is called _Frankenstein, _by Mary Shelley. We will learn about enjoying English, rather than learning it."

I liked her instantly.

"Now, our first poem is called _Tyger, Tyger_…"

I never felt more wonderful after a class than I had after reading and discussing _Tyger, Tyger_, which had incidentally been one of the middle school poems I'd read in the sixth grade. Gunner left the room, after which was our "lunch" period. Shuichi tapped me on the shoulder and handed me a little box.

"You forgot your lunch this morning," he said quietly. "Kaasan made them."

"Oh…I didn't know. Thanks, Shuichi." I smiled over my shoulder, which he returned weakly. "There isn't a cafeteria?"

"No. There isn't."

"Oh. Sorry, I didn't know."

"That's all right."

I turned around to eat my lunch. It felt so weird, eating in the classroom, with everyone pushing tables out of the way. People had started up music and were dancing in a corner. Several little groups of girls were talking and laughing. Keiko and me ate silently, but talked after we were done eating. Shuichi had mysteriously disappeared.

When the thirty-minute lunch break was over, he hadn't returned. The teacher came in and started class (history), but Shuichi was nowhere in sight. Where was he? Was he really skipping class? Keiko told me he sometimes would do that. But why? Keiko had no reply, other than an almost unnoticeable shrug.

The history teacher continued to yak until at last the hour was up. After he'd left, Shuichi slipped into the room as if nothing had happened. I turned around to ask where he'd been, but one look in his eyes told me not to. I don't know what it was. Sadness? Loneliness? Heartbreak? What was so depressing that he looked like that?

I listened to the Japanese teacher, and then the electives came. I had art, in another room down the hall. Shuichi had gym. Keiko had music. I got into my classroom, which basically had several easels and two walls of storage. The teacher was seated on the floor, a pair of huge round spectacles falling off her nose.

About five students sat on the floor, for lack of other places. The teacher did so as well, so that we sat like kindergartners on the story time rug.

"Oh, hello," she said. "I'm Gina. Just Gina. Everyone introduce themselves, we've a small class this time round."

"Ichigo."

"Tsuna."

"Shinsuke."

"Kohaku."

"Bri."

"Okay, that was easy. Now, pick a medium, a paper, and an easel and get to work. Whatever comes into your head, I want to see."

That has to be the oddest command I've ever heard.

But, I complied. I picked out a packet of paint that said "acrylics" in English and katakana and a sheet of thick white paper. A nice little brush, a pencil, and an easel and soon, I was ready.

But for what?

I thought for a moment, and then spotted an old poster on the wall. A boy stood with his back to me, his head turned just so that we could see his profile. I rather liked it, except I really wasn't good with drawing boys. I was more a girl person. I don't know. I just started sketching on the page, and soon this face appeared in a profile. I don't know who she was or how she'd gotten into my mind.

But I liked the simplicity of the picture.

I painted until the timer rang. It was time to go home. But I wanted to finish my painting! I sighed to myself as I cleaned the brush and put away the paints. Gina looked at the five beginnings and stopped short.

"Who is this, Bri?"

"I don't know."

"Why did you draw her?"

"I just…liked it. I saw that poster, and…well…it flew out of my fingers."

"Hmm. Well. Class is over. See you all soon! Bri, I'd like to see you for a few minutes."

I waited until the others trickled out.

"Why didn't you inform anyone that you could draw like this?"

"Didn't see the need. Why, I'm not that great…"

"You have all the instincts. You're good now. You can be great. I want you to explore these ideas further. You have it in you. I know it. See you tomorrow."

"Yeah…sure…bye."

And I walked out, a little confused.

So…yeah, Bri can draw. Now that I think of it, the only reason I let her be "good" was to connect her with Gina…oh, and that angel…dang it. Small point. Oh, well. Review? Still two more to go! (Sounds like that chant during the Dark Tournament. "Two more to go!" Ugh, I still have nightmares about Karasu. He's almost exactly like BTK. Anyone heard about the BTK trial? WE GOT HIM! WAY TO GO, WICHITA POLICE!)


	6. Innocent Until Proven Guilty

In light of the recent events occurring in and around Wichita, Kansas, I would like to take this time to dedicate this chapter of _Heal Me, I'm Heartsick_ (and ALL the others) to the Wichita Police Department and their capture of Dennis Rader, the first suspect in _thirty years_ for the BTK killings! THANK YOU, WPD! Nola, lady, you need to figure out how to speak in front of a camera in front of the entire US, sweetcakes.

Chapter 6: Innocent Until Proven Guilty

Kurama 

"Can you tell Kaasan that I won't be home until sometime around six?" I asked Bri softly. "I'm going to Hiei's…house." I hoped she didn't catch my hesitation.

For a minute, she cocked her head at me, quite like a cat. In fact, Bri's entire being echoed feline. The way she moved, the way she acted and reacted, the way her blue orbs glittered in the sunlight. They almost seemed to reflect the sun. She even smiled like a cat. Her dark brown hair was cropped short above her ears, falling similar to what a cat's would, if it had hair on its head.

I don't know why she paused, too, but I hoped it wasn't because she detected the little white lie. I hated to lie; even to people I really didn't trust. Bri, however, waited only a second.

"Sure, Shuichi, I can do that. I'm going to do my homework, then go to the arcade. I'm sure Yusuke's going to practice for a rematch against me, too. Keiko says he doesn't like to lose."

I smiled and nodded.

"Thanks. See you later!"

"Yeah, sure."

She left, racing for the train station. I sighed and walked slowly toward the station myself. The one she was on left as I stood there. Ten minutes ticked by, then I stepped onto the next.

I wish that these uniforms were a little less noticeable. Why had I gone to Meikou? I still wasn't sure. The uniforms were even redder than Meio's had been, and a little bit more on the business side. Lucky for me, I had a change of clothes at Genki's temple.

"Hey, Kurama, glad you could make it!" Yusuke shouted from the top landing as I ascended the steps. I hardly noticed them anymore, other than that I had to climb them each time we visited Genki's temple.

I gave him a humoring wave and followed the rowdy duo inside. Kuwabara and Yusuke were both sporting their new high school uniforms, though I doubted Yusuke would wear his for very long. The black bottoms and conservative white shirts were so ordinary of normal schools that they would hardly be noticed.

The three of us went into the "den", if you will. It was a simple room, with only one thing in mind: Entertainment. It was Genki's game room, where all the normal arcade games measured things like spirit energy and growth potential. In the far corner of the room was a large TV. Genki herself was already seated in one of the couches.

That was where we would receive our next assignment. Hiei appeared beside us as though he'd been there all along. A scowl was on his face. It was obvious what had made him so upset. He didn't like having to actually be in the same room as Kuwabara and then have to have Koenma spouting on about what our newest assignment was.

It was moments like these that I wondered when the four of us had suddenly become friends. I knew it hadn't happened all at once, but I still wondered when Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Hiei had stopped being my partners and had become my friends. After Kuronue, I hadn't wanted any more of either.

Yet here I was.

Koenma's image flickered and then cleared on the screen.

"Hello, I see you've all recovered from your last mission well enough," Koenma began. I sometimes wondered how a boy so young had become so full of himself. "Kurama, I know that the fire at your home struck your family hard. But I'm afraid it has something to do with your new mission."

What did he mean? The fire that had destroyed my home had been merely a group of punks trying to get at the house next door to us by mistake. At least, that's what the group said. They hadn't meant to. They even apologized.

"The group of teenagers that allegedly set fire to your home were not the true culprits," Koenma continued. "They were brainwashed into believing that they were. The people who really set fire to your house were trying to get this girl into your home." A picture of Bri Wolf appeared on the screen.

"I knew we shouldn't have trusted her," Hiei murmured, so quietly that only I heard.

"Bridget really has no idea that she is causing all of this, of course. The Vacant Lot is a team of demons that want something she has. We haven't a clue why. Our source is the spirit of Keiko Sawaguchi, a friend of hers, who recently died. I think it's safe to say the Vacant Lot has been planning this for at least three years."

Why does he say that? I was already a bit dazed to find out that I had been mistrusting of a mostly-innocent girl.

"The Vacant Lot is the entire staff of Meikou Academy. It seems to have been working until we got Keiko's information. She found it out by eavesdropping on her mother. Her mother discovered her and murdered her, then made the scene appear as if it had been a suicide.

"As I get more information, I will relay it. Until then, keep Bridget Wolf safe."

The screen blinked out.

For a moment, everyone was silent. I couldn't believe how wrong I'd been. Why had I mistrusted Bri? She'd only ever been friendly to me, and yet I hadn't trusted her. What was it about her that made me feel uneasy?

"Okay, well, that sounds interesting," Yusuke said. Sarcasm dripped from him like too much wasabi. "She's a nice person, who would want to go after her?"

"Something to do with power," Kuwabara said. He scratched his head. "She's got a lot of it."

"Power?" I glanced at him. "I haven't sensed any spirit energy coming from her."

"Not spirit energy, exactly," Kuwabara said. "I don't know what it is, but it isn't spirit power. She's got something else. A power."

"Like netherworld?" Yusuke murmured softly. I couldn't stop the shudder that ripped through me.

"No, nothing bad. Just…power. I dunno."

"Well, you're just about as helpful as a pincushion without any pins." Yusuke and Kuwabara began to quarrel again about whatever they did. I had learned quickly to tune their petty fights out.

"What do you think, Hiei?"

"The idiot is right. I am not sure, either." The scowl was set deeper in his features.

"How is it that I cannot feel her power?"

"You can't?" Hiei looked at me in mild shock. For him, I knew that this meant he was very surprised.

"No." I had nothing more to say.

The others stared at me.

I glanced down.

My watch read five forty-five. I waved at the others and then ran as though my life depended on it.

Bri 

"How did I get so much homework on day one?" I moaned to myself. "Shuichi better get home soon if he's going to do it all."

That's when I remembered that he'd missed one of the classes. History class. I glanced at the clock (five forty-five), then at my written assignments in my little organizer. I hoped that I could keep up with it; I hadn't always been very good at keeping stuff in one place. I had math and biology yet to do. History, all we had to do was read the first chapter and summarize it, and I'd done that already.

I hated math, and I hadn't even heard the assignment in biology. I hoped Shuichi had it, because that darned Toguro had gone so fast that I hadn't even gotten that. Oh, well, I had the history assignment. At least now I could ask why he'd left.

Begrudgingly, I worked my way through ten problems and set down my pencil again. The door upstairs had finally sounded open and shut. I glanced at the clock. Six oh-seven. Hmm, not bad. He was almost on time. I heard a hurried apology to Kaasan. So, he usually wasn't late. Poor guy. I wonder what kept him?

"Bri, did you get the history assignment?" he asked, knocking softly on my door as he spoke.

"Yes, I did," I smiled. "Did you get the biology assignment?"

"Yes. You were there, why didn't you?"

I smiled grimly. "Toguro-sensei spoke so fast that I couldn't get any of what he said to begin with."

"Anything?" he blinked.

"Nothing except the first ten minutes, and it's broken between English and katakana," I said, holding up my scribbled notes. "I gave up."

He stood for a few minutes, thinking, and then disappeared into his own room. He reappeared seconds later with his biology notebook.

"You help me with English and history, and I'll help you with biology," he said. "A tradeoff."

"Sounds good to me. Why weren't you there during history?"

"I had to leave," Shuichi said, a little too fast. "An emergency."

I didn't believe one word of it, but I was too desperate for help in biology to argue. He taught me the entire lesson from biology today, and I taught him the history lesson. I found biology actually a pretty interesting subject. I guess when someone else presented the material, it made more sense.

"Bri, the others wanted to know if you'd like to go with us tomorrow," Shuichi said as we finished up biology. "At Genki's temple, that's where we're going. You remember her, right?"

"Uh, sure," I smiled. Something told me that it wasn't an arbitrary invitation. "What are we going to do?"

"She owns a lot of video games, I thought you'd like to…" His voice trailed off. Hmm. Strange.

"Okay, sure. Why not?"

Why not, indeed. Something wasn't right here.

"Shuichi, Bri, dinner's ready!" Kaasan's voice broke through my musing.

I guess I'd have to wait until tomorrow.

Is anyone catching that Bri is either very observant or she notices things about people a little too much? It's a plot point, that's why I ask. Did I make it too obvious or not obvious enough? VV I'm hopeless. The hopeless, ugly little kitten…


	7. Rulers and Hnmeisers

Again, thank you WPD. This is the last chapter I'm going to upload. You guys _do _remember me saying this was done, right? I can promise you, no matter what, you _will_ get to read this through to the end.

Disclaimer: Do I really have to say it? I dun own it!

Chapter 7: Rulers and Hn-meisters

Bri 

Toguro loved nothing less than to torture me. That's it. He liked to torture me, that had to be the reason why he put me through this hell. The minute he walked into the classroom, he called for homework and said my name. Then he spoke so rapidly, I couldn't understand a word he'd said. When I asked him to repeat it, he screamed something about insolence and stupidity, and then yelled one word I really did know.

"DETENTION! This afternoon, Miss Wolf."

Needless to say, I was not happy. However, as class continued, he asked me question after question about what he'd been lecturing on, which I still couldn't grasp. Before long, he had given me a week's worth of afternoon detention and I stood out in the hallway for the remainder of the class.

Hell.

"That wasn't fair!" Keiko huffed as I crawled back into my seat after Toguro left. "He was talking so fast, _I_ couldn't understand half of what he said!"

"Leave it alone," I murmured. "It's what he wants. He's trying to break me."

But for what?

"Bri, you can't let him do that, you've got to stand up for yourself!"

"Leave me alone, Keiko, it's not worth the time," I said.

Our pre-calc teacher strode into the room and began her lecture, too. I was already struggling to understand what she was talking about. Sure, I knew how to count in Japanese, but add, subtract, and do limits in Japanese?

She was asking for a miracle.

The rest of the day went rather well, I suppose. Shuichi did stay for history this time, though Keiko pointed out that he looked like he was falling asleep. I went to the art room, where I moved all the more quickly on my painting. I think my emotions were getting the better of me. Toguro was trying to break me. It was the only explanation…

The girl was beautiful. So very beautiful. I wanted to touch her cheeks, look in her eyes. But she looked away from me, into the nonexistent distances. Like she was avoiding my gaze. Why was she doing that? It was my painting. The painting should obey the artist. I knew that wasn't true, though. My doodles, where I'd gotten so good, I guess, never obeyed me. They always took the shape they wanted to.

I guess that's why my girl didn't want to.

I avoided Gina and went to the room Toguro had said was the detention room for him and my English teacher, Gunner. Only one other student was in there, a young man I recognized as one of my classmates. He had wild blue hair, but a tame, rounded face.

Glumly, he glanced up at me as I entered the detention room.

"Hey," he said.

"Hello."

"You're that Yank that Toguro-sensei doesn't like. Right?"

I smiled bitterly. "I'm not from New York. My name's Bri."

"Okay. Bri. Better than Yank, I suppose. I'm Touya Tsukashiro."

"Oh. I like your name, Touya." It suited him, peach arrow. His face was round, like a peach, and his hair was pointy, like a dozen arrows in a rounded quiver.

"Thanks."

"You know what I did," I said. "What'd you do?"

"Gunner gave me detention for listening to music during class."

"Ah."

"Oh, Wolf, I didn't know you'd be here." Gunner had arrived. "Toguro said there'd be a troublemaker from his class."

"I'm supposedly it," I said, glaring at the windows.

"Why? He said that this troublemaker had behaved terribly and wasn't paying attention at—"

"I was paying attention, I just couldn't understand him because he was talking way too fast for me to understand what he was saying," I said quickly. I think rather calmly, too, under the circumstances. "He did it yesterday, too. He put me on the spot and I couldn't understand anything coming out of his mouth."

"If that was the problem, why didn't you just ask him to slow down?"

"When I did, he put me out in the hall," I said.

Like a small child.

One that has behaved badly.

"Oh, well, in that case…hmm. I will talk to Toguro. Maybe we can straighten this out. In the meantime, as your detention…Let's teach Touya English."

I blinked at her. "Is that all?"

"Yes, I think that will suffice."

So I spent the hour or so teaching Touya English. Truth told, it was very enjoyable. I liked teaching someone more about my own language. It kind of made Japanese a little more fun, too.

But, needless to say, I was late for the meeting at the temple.

I followed Shuichi's written instructions, which he'd given to me with a sigh at lunch. He hadn't been too happy with me. Who would? I got detention on the day I was supposed to meet with his friends. When I reached the train stop, I got off and shuffled into the crowd. The instructions were very precise. Soon enough, I stood at the base of a large set of stairs, the likes of which made my back shiver.

I began the climb, feeling a stitch begin to grind at my side. My breath came in short gasps. I don't think I'd ever climbed so many stairs. At the top, a flash of black nearly frightened me back down the stairs. Then I saw who it was.

"Hiei! Dang it, don't do that!"

"Hn. Follow me."

He walked away as if nothing had happened.

"Hey, what's your problem?" I took a swig of air and raced to keep up with his brisk pace. For such a short guy, he sure was fast. I saw something in those red eyes, though. I paused a moment before speaking again. "Hey, you okay? You don't look so good."

He tried to cover it up, but I could still see it. "Hn."

"Okay, Hn-meister, where are we going?"

"Questions kill cats," he said.

I clammed up real fast. For some reason, I could sense an underlying tremor of power in his words. He meant them. Every word. We walked for a few more minutes. The building itself was extraordinary, a true piece of art in every bit of wood. I had little time to admire the intricate carvings, however.

Hiei seemed intent on getting out of my presence. After a few more minutes, I entered my own sweet heaven. It was a room full of video games! Karaoke, punching machines, and Janken, all unplugged but primed for glory. Though somehow I think I wouldn't be playing them.

Shuichi was seated in a corner with Kuwabara, Yusuke, Botan, Genki, and a strange looking boy wearing a red cloak. He was quite handsome, debonair, and had the word Jr. printed across his forehead. What really threw me was the tiny blue pacifier in his mouth.

"I see you survived detention," Shuichi said, hiding a smile.

"Gunner was running them," I said. "All I did was teach one of the other guys in class, Touya something-or-other, some common American English phrases."

A strange look came into Shuichi's eyes. Usually, I can read people pretty well. But this look, it was different. Something I'd rarely seen, and something I couldn't quite put my finger on.

"Well, now that she's here, why don't we tell her what we've been planning to tell her for the past hour," grumbled Yusuke.

"Tell me what?" I blinked.

"I think an introduction is in order, first," said the smooth guy. "My name is Koenma, and I am Ruler of all Spirit World. Pleased to make your acquaintance, Bridget Wolf."

"You know, I'm really getting tired of people butchering up my na—what the hell'd you say?"

"He's the runty ruler of the Spirit World, and usually he looks like a toddler," Yusuke said. "Can we get on with this?"

"Hold yer horses and back up a few stalls, Urameshi!" I yelled in English. "I'm not in the mood for yer dang shenanigans!" I relapse into strange accents when I'm angry, at least that's what Keiko always told me.

"What'd she say?" Yusuke asked. Shuichi looked about ready to burst in laughter. "No, really, what'd she say?"

"Basically, she said to be patient and explain what is going on," Shuichi said, his face perfectly straight. "And I agree. Sit down, this will take a while."

I made a face (though what one, I can't be sure) and glanced at the two remaining seats. One was between Shuichi and Kuwabara and the other was beside the suave-but-strange pacifier teen. I chose the former, seating myself beside Shuichi as close as I could without taking away too much personal space.

"Bri, I'm sure this will come as a shock to you, but we think it's best if you're on your guard," Botan said, seated on the other side of the one who claimed to be Koenma, Ruler of the Spirit World. "Meikou Academy is a scam directed specifically to get to you."

"Okay," I said. "Botan, are you on crack or something? It's a _school_."

Yusuke sighed and rolled his eyes. "Geez, do I have to do everything? Listen, kid, it's simple. This group of demons has been after you and the power you have for the last three years. They set up this big elaborate setup just to get you here and we haven't got a clue why."

"Wait a second, demons? As in, fire and brimstone, Lucifer, fallen angels, demons?"

"Not entirely, no," Shuichi said quietly. "Demons have souls, just as humans do. It is what they choose to do with their power that makes them. Most are just normal beings trying to make a living in the Demon World. It is when one of the radical demons escapes that we've a problem."

"Wait, we? How is it that you all are in on this? I mean, no offense, but you really don't look like the kind of group that automatically goes 'oh, you'd make a great friend, how about we go hang out at the mall?'"

Yusuke and Kuwabara laughed out loud, but Shuichi chuckled softly.

"You got it right, there, sister!" Kuwabara yelled. "Urameshi and me used to fight all the time before he became spirit detective."

"Spirit detective?" I glanced at the black-haired teen. He looked like any ordinary fifteen-year-old to me, and not very sleuth-like. "Like Sherlock Holmes?"

"Nope, I just fight the demons and do whatever the hell else Koenma wants me to," Yusuke shrugged. "It's supposed to earn my keep, I guess. Something like that."

"Earn your keep?"

"He died about a year ago," Koenma said. "I brought him back to life because he was not supposed to die just then."

"Oh, so he basically did something stupid and now he's making up for it," I nodded. Yusuke protested, but I spoke over him. "I got ya. So how'd Shuichi and Hn-meister over there get mixed up in this? And you, Botan?"

Kuwabara laughed at my little nickname for Hiei, but I think I was lucky that I was not alone with Mr. Hn-meister still.

"I'm a ferry girl for the river Styx," Botan answered. "In your culture, the Grim Reaper."

"You? Bubbly, blue-haired schoolgirl, Grim Reaper?" I shook my head. "No wonder I kept seeing ghosts."

Everyone suddenly went quiet.

"You can see ghosts?" Kuwabara said.

"Yeah. Is that a bad…thing?" I glanced around the room. The others were staring at me like I'd suddenly turned into a ghost myself.

"Not necessarily," Koenma said. "That might be a sign of what your powers are."

"Now you tell me I've got powers?"

Finally, the entire group just spilled. How Meikou was being controlled by the Vacant Lot and how, supposedly, the entire thing was a setup to get to me. In the midst of the explanations, Botan and Koenma exchanged a glance.

"Bri, we want you to know this so that you can put your guard up. Every teacher in that school with a few notable exceptions, are out to get you."

"Do you know who those 'notable exceptions' are?" I asked.

"An art teacher named Gina is one. The other is still an unknown."

"Our bio has got to be one of them," I growled. "There's no way he's human!"

"We don't know that for sure, though it's highly unlikely that he's not the ringleader, even," Koenma sighed. "Just know that we are watching."

Something tickled at the back of my mind.

"Wait, why are you telling me everything like this?" I asked. "I mean, it's great and all, but why? Why not just tell me a small lie, like some of the teachers think I've got something they want or something. Why'd you tell me that they were demons, and that you're the Ruler of Spirit World?"

"We've learned from past experience that this approach typically does not work quite as well as we originally hope," Shuichi said, glancing in Yusuke and Kuwabara's direction.

I got the hint.

"Oh…Keiko and Shizuru. You tried tricking them and it backfired. Am I right?"

"How'd you guess?" Yusuke glared at me. I think he was still fired up about the stupid crack.

"Woman's intuition?" I shrugged. "I don't know. I've always been able to do it, but it's gained clarity over the past few weeks. I can sense what others are feeling, and what they're thinking."

"Like a mind-reader?" Koemna asked. He sounded more in thought than actually listening, though.

"Well, no," I glanced up. "More like their feelings and emotions than the actual mind."

"Then that is your power, then." Koenma took his chin between his thumb and forefinger in thought. "Though why would they go through all this trouble to…" He trailed off.

"What is it, Koenma, sir?" Botan asked quietly.

"I seem to recall something of this phenomenon, but I can't seem to…"

"At any rate, I think Shuichi and I had best get home," I said, glancing at my watch. "We can discuss this more later, I think. Kaasan would worry if we were late."

And we left. Shuichi and I walked toward the train station alone.

"You seem to be taking this all well," Shuichi said quietly.

"Expect the unexpected and you'll never be surprised," I smiled. "I've had these powers for some time now, I guess I just never saw them that way before. I didn't think it was an uncommon gift to see ghosts, spirits, and demons."

"You can see demons, too?" Shuichi stopped. I turned back to look at him.

"Well, yeah. A lot of people I used to know were demons. I guess they did pretty well to hide themselves in the crowd, though, so usually, I thought nothing of it. Like maybe everyone else can see them, too, and they're just ignoring them. I'm just stupid, is all. Well, ignorant, I guess, is the better word."

Shuichi considered this for a moment. "Around what time did you say your powers began to increase?"

"A little less than a month. Why?"

"It might help Koenma discover what talents you possess."

Somehow, I think he was lying. But I didn't press it.

I never did.

Bri seems a little passive, doesn't she? She doesn't like to fight things, she doesn't dig for secrets. So why is this Vacant Lot demon hoard after her? Find out!


	8. Broken

**sparkle eyes**Five! Five consecutive reviews for only one update! **hugs reviewers** I've never had so many before! Ah…I feel so loved. To all of my reviewers, I will answer now.

Omasuoniwabanshi: I kind of wasn't aiming for pathological, but I guess it did work out. I tried to keep that spirit throughout after your wonderful review from ch 1.

TelexDarkRyuu: TELEX! I miss you, sugah! We have got to hang out over sb.

Arano Honou: If you're going to read any of my other stories, I definitely recommend my recent KH story, Father of the Heartless, or one of my Gundam stories…The others aren't so great, though Heart of the Dragon (it's much shorter) definitely received high acclaim from fictionalley.

Saori Aki Orimi: You are so a great writer, don't even say that! **Guys, go read ELEMENTAL ATTRACTION, too, it's AWESOME!** And I'm afraid the browser must've cut you off or something, what did you do with veggies in sixth grade? Wow…when I was in sixth grade, I was making Pikachu and cat noises…actually, I still make cat noises. Oo

Sillylittlenothing: I love your nick, it's so unassuming. You need to write a story, sweetie, cause I think you'd be great at it. She will remember **gasp! I told!** that she died, in a place that Kurama takes her later on. I think it's in the next chappie… Okay, here's my theory on why Kurama **can't sense her power**.

She doesn't trust people right off, so when she's in close proximity to someone, her subconscious raises her blocking skills. She knows that Kurama has gone through something similar to what she has, and she doesn't want to tell anyone about it. For some reason, she doesn't sense the stuff with Yusuke and Kuwa as much…so she just doesn't put up the barrier.

chaos tenshi: Love the nick! Yeah, sugar loves me. I love sugar. It's a mutual relationship. Except I'm trying to cut down on it (poor me, right?). But, good news is, I'm losing weight.

Suntiger: HOORAY! Suntiger gets a whole box of the Macadamia nut, double chocolate chip cookies! But, there is something **special about my lil Bri, which you will find out in the next few chapters! **

Now that that's over with…Hoorah! I shall update! Oh, and I **bolded** certain parts of that, in case anyone wanted to follow the important parts and not listen to me babble…

Disclaimer: I do not own what you recognize. Please do not attempt to press charges. I am merely a poor college student who is currently floundering in certain subjects.

Chapter 8: Broken

Bri

Usually, I sleep like a rock. Tonight, however, proved to be my insomniac night. I couldn't sleep. No matter what I tried, I was wide awake and couldn't fall to dreamland. I don't know what it is on nights like these.

Maybe the wind just doesn't blow right.

But always, I wake up with wounds. I don't know why or how or when they come. I just know that whenever I can't sleep, I wake up bleeding and crying. My hands trembled on my sheets. What would Kaasan and Shuichi say the next morning? How bad would I be hurt? Would it be just a paper cut, like back in the second grade?

"Or will I be inches from death…like after Keiko died?" I whispered to myself.

I climbed out of my bed and crossed the tiny hall into the bathroom. The rose nightlight glittered welcomingly, even in the yellow light of the overhead. I turned the water on to a trickle and filled my cupped hands. After I rinsed my face, I headed back to my room. A noise stopped my feet sharp in mid-step.

An unbearable pain ripped through my shoulder. Then my leg. Arm. Thigh. Shoulder. Foot. What was this? Each of the blows were just as terrible and wrenching as the last. Why was I feeling it now? Why didn't I just wake up with it, like normal? A voice cried out in the night, soft, yet so, so sad. So very much in agony, I wished I could take more of the pain away. My hands felt as if someone had pressed them with a hot iron. A cry uttered from my throat, mingling with another's.

Shuichi's.

I stumbled toward his door, afraid for his life. He tossed and turned in his bed, sweating, moaning in pain. A word came from his throat, choked.

"Karasu…no…don't…Karasu…"

Whoever Karasu was, he was the one who was hurting Shuichi. But how, how when he was still fast asleep? Why were my wounds real and his only in his mind? Maybe if I woke him up…

"Sh-Shuichi!" I cried out in the dark. Stumbled forward again, the pain all the more sharp and intense. Nothing braced against my flesh, nothing but my shaking hands on my shaking arms.

"No, Karasu!" Shuichi's voice echoed in my ears. The pounding, spinning room…I shut my eyes tight against them. I saw an image in my head, unbidden, yet vivid. A pale man with long, golden hair and slim eyes. Shuichi's body…covered in blood from neck to torso to the ends of his feet. His cries of pain and agony were too much for me.

"Shuichi!" I shouted, but it came out a whisper. The pain ripped through me again, just as strong as if someone had driven knives into me. My wounds spattered blood into my eyes. More came, and as I received more places of hurt, Shuichi's body in my head received the same in the form of glowing green orbs.

I couldn't take it anymore. I stumbled forward, to Shuichi's bedside and took his hand in mine.

The pain, I couldn't handle the pain!

I was dying, dying, like a lightning bolt had struck, a lightning bolt struck me, raining, raining, pain, so much pain,

lightning bolt,

Keiko, Shuichi,

lightning,

rain,

pain,

_pain_,

**_PAIN_**…

And then…it stopped.

Shuichi sat up in bed and stared at me. Blood ran down my arms and legs and chest, but it left my head alone. I could feel the blood, the life, draining away from me. Shuichi sat up, fear etched in his face.

"Bri…Bri, what…what happ—"

That was all I heard before everything went black.

Kurama

That dream again…I sat up quickly in my bed. Karasu's face faded from my head, but the pain he'd inflicted was still fresh in my mind. I heard a noise. A choked voice crying out my name. I followed the sound.

It was Bri.

Bri was hurt.

"Bri…Bri, what…what happened?" Before I'd even said anything, she'd collapsed onto my floor, blood pouring from so many, _too_ many wounds. Where had she gotten such wounds? She looked as if she'd been locked in a battle and lost…

And was still losing.

I don't know how I'd ended up outside, Bri's bleeding body in my arms. But I knew where I was going. I ran as quickly as my feet could carry me. With every second, more of her life's blood was draining away. Tears were in her eyes, dormant. Her tough, cat-like personality was gone.

All that remained was this defenseless husk.

This girl, my sister.

Sister…

So this must be how Hiei feels about Yukina.

I kicked the door to Genki's temple by way of knocking. The master appeared at the door, bewildered. The instant she set her eyes on us, she raced into the house again.

"Set her on the couch." Those were her only words.

Yukina appeared, sleepy but ready.

"Oh, Bri, what happened, Kurama!" Yukina knelt beside her. "She's lost so much blood…"

"Will she be all right?" Genki asked.

"Yes." Yukina stood back again, the ugly wounds on Bri's body all but gone. The rips and tears in her pajamas were so familiar. Where had I seen these wounds before?

"What happened?" Genki demanded. As always, the straightforward answers, at least from otheres, were best for her. However, I had none to give. What had happened to Bri? She had just simply appeared in my room during my nightmares, as if calling out to me. I had been unable to help her. What was in our house that attacked her?

"Sh-Shuichi…" Bri choked out. "Shu…Shuichi…" Her coughs were ragged and uneven. Genki and I turned her over on her side. She coughed up blood. So much blood. What had happened to Bri?

"Not…again…" Bri wheezed, her voice faint. Again? Had the Vacant Lot been attacking her before and we simply had not known? Wouldn't she have told us?

"Really, Fox, I had expected more out of you."

Hiei walked from behind us, his arms crossed tightly over his chest. I knew the pose well. I had seen it few times. Insecurity was not a normal emotion for Hiei. Few emotions were, until lately. I'd even seen him shocked enough to have a twitch in his eyes.

"What is it, Hiei? What's wrong with her?"

"Nothing's really wrong. It's normal for her…powers. She's an Empathe."

I had no idea what an Empathe was. Apparently, Genki did.

"An Empathe?" Genki glanced at him from the corner of her eyes. "This little one?"

"Yes, and a powerful one," Hiei said, scowling. "With only a few weeks training, she could probably rid herself of these pain empathies."

"What is it?" I asked. Bri murmured in her sleep again before I got my answer.

"Sh-Shuichi…why…Karasu…why…no…pain…lightning…"

"I understand now," Genki muttered. "You were dreaming of the Dark Tournament finals, weren't you, Kurama?"

"Well…yes—"

"She has little control, then," Genki sighed.

"What has that—"

"Would ya'll quit bein' so loud, yer givin' me a dang headache," Bri said, in English. The others were clueless as to what she was saying. She flexed her hands and legs. "Shoot, I though I was a goner that time." She glanced around the room, then at me. Now she spoke again in Japanese. "Where am I? What happened to those wounds?"

"My temple," Genki said. She turned to me. "Go call the dimwit and the others. This is going to take a while."

Bri took that particular moment to realize several things at once. "Gah! I'm covered in blood! Oh, Genki, I'm sooooo sorry about your carpet, ah, can that be cleaned? I'm sorry!"

Genki only laughed as I exited the room.

I knew why, of course. She'd had worse things in that carpet of hers.

I was only glad that my sister was all right.

For some reason, the page break thingies I've been using don't seem to work. So, I'm going to try different ones until I find something that works. I'll put the other chapters up on Saturday, as I decided to completely rewrite this chapter. The Karasu scene was a little more choppy…I hope that whole thing worked, with the italics and bold…


	9. Stranger

OO Three more…and a personal email one from Suntiger…WOW…I don't think that's ever happened to me before. I love you guys! Thank you soooooo much!

Answers to questions:

Suntiger: She asked whether Bri could **sense that Shuichi was a demon or not**. She already knows, yes. Here's the thing: She's sensed demons and stuff her whole life through. It's nothing special to her that she is living with a demon. (I can relate…)

And on the fact that Bri sensed Kurama's **dream about Karasu**. Dreams about actual traumatic events (according to my shrink, anyway…) are often more powerful than those that are simply made up by the brain to deal with stress. Usually, Bri will "empathize" with a person who is actually being hurt. But because she was in such close proximity to Kurama, she sensed and could feel the pain that reverberated through all those years. That is also the reason why she didn't die: Because it is the power of a _dream_, not of an actual event.

Kurayamihikari: Find out what an Empathe is (in my definition) this chapter!

Sillylittlenothing: LOL, so far, you're the first to comment on that. The _first thing_ Bri realizes after she figures out she's alive…the couch and carpet are covered in blood.

It's okay to fear rejection. But, my dear, courage is not the absence of fear but the triumph over that fear. Type some stories up. I'll be one of the first to review and give you a quality critique. C'mon. It can't possibly be as bad as my first attempt.

I'll tell you about it. (AN in the AN: If you don't want to read about my first fan fic, skip to the Disclaimer.) You know what I did? I wrote a DBZ fan fic. In fact, it's still under my old name, though what that was, I can't remember. Child Called Angel. I wrote a complete Mary Sue, the grammar was horrific (I rewrote it once already, but it was really terrible), the story was stilted and followed the DBZ storyline almost to a "t", and the main characters were TOTALLY OOC.

I learned my lesson because I got a couple of good people who gave me excellent reviews. I still write OC stories because I use fan fic to "test drive" my real stories. This character, Bri, is actually the main character of a book I'm writing, called the _Guiding_. The only way you're going to learn, cakes, is by giving it your all and letting others know you've got something to say.

Disclaimer: I don't own YuYu Hakusho or any of the other things that I don't own that I mention in this story. I do own Gunner and Gun Wa and Bri and a couple other characters, though. Please no suing. I am a poor college student who just ACED HER MIDTERMS! WHOO!

Chapter 9: Stranger

Bri 

Hell had just dropped a few levels for me.

"Let me get this straight," I sighed. When these people called a midnight meeting, they called an entire freaking slumber party. God, when did I take to hanging with such idiots and dimwits?

"I'm something called an Empathe, which is some psychic thingie meaning that I basically feel other peoples emotions and pain. The reason I kept waking up hurt whenever I couldn't sleep was because I was feeling someone else's pain. I almost died tonight because I was empathizing or whatever with Shuichi's fight in some demon tournament you guys barely won by the skin off your wankers."

"Yes, give or take a few details," Genki said. "Feel lucky that you didn't get near me, little girl. I was killed in that tournament."

I'm sure I had a very interesting face to make at that particular comment.

"What happened to expect the unexpected, Bri?" Shuichi said, meaning it as a sort of half-joke, I'm sure.

But I didn't feel like laughing at the moment.

"Hey, man, you're the reason I almost died, all right!" I shouted. "And not because you actually being hurt but because you were _dreaming_ about it!" I'm not exactly sure what came over me. But I was mad and scared. I guess I'm similar to Yusuke in that regard too, as Genki said later on. When I'm angry, I lash out.

Shuichi was taken aback by my claims, of course. But not nearly as much as I was to what I'd said. In part, it was the truth. But sometimes, the truth hurt.

It hurt just too much.

"Jerk, why didn't you tell me about any of this?" I shouted. "Why did you just stand there and gawk at me like some freaky sideshow?"

Hysteria overtook.

I ran from the room and straight into a patch of woods. Why had I said all that? Shuichi hadn't known anymore than I did what was going on. He'd done all he could for me, and I just stood there and yelled at him for it.

I'd just yelled at the one person who had filled the empty place Keiko had left in my heart. And my heartsickness just got worse. It felt as though my chest has been pummeled to oblivion and all that remained of me was the shattered remains. In a sense, that's exactly what I'd done.

I had just allowed myself to fall again.

Falling through my rivers of blood, praying for my life.

All at once, I could feel everything around me. I felt the restlessness of the creatures all around, could feel their hunger. I could feel Genki's reflections, could see her fighting a tall man and losing, see her dying.

And all I wanted was a father and a mother to hold me. To love me. I wanted Keiko back; I wanted to take back what I'd said to Shuichi. I wanted nothing but for all of this to end.

To just go away.

To leave me alone.

So I could stop being hungry, broken, haunted, weeping in the sands.

I fought the tears in my eyes.

They came anyway.

I can't fight them.

I can't fight.

So hungry for someone to hold me…

SNAP!

"Who's there?" I leapt to my feet.

"Only this one. You need not be afraid, Neko."

SNAP!

"S-Stay back! I…I've got a gun!"

SNAP!

"No, you haven't."

SNAP! SNAP!

She stepped into the half-light of the moon.

"B-But you're…"

Kurama 

"She's just angry, Kurama, don't worry about it," Yusuke said softly. "It's not—"

"Don't be stupid. Of course it's my fault," I said.

"You're wrong, Kurama," Yusuke insisted.

It fell on deaf ears.

I raced out into the night. If only I had Youko's sense of smell, I could find her in a heartbeat. Which way had she gone?

"She went into the Dark Forest, Fox," Hiei said from the door.

I raced for the forest's edge. If I could find the smell of her blood. Even Shuichi's nose could smell that overwhelming scent. I didn't need the scent, at least not yet. She'd crashed through the underbrush haphazardly. I followed the broken sticks and crushed leaves, intent on finding her. When at last I did, she wasn't alone.

"Gunner-sensei," I said, taken aback. "What are you doing here?"

"I like these woods," she said. "I just found Wolf here in a tangle of thorns. I think she'll be all right. See you two at school tomorrow!"

And she left.

"Bri, are you all right?" I whispered. I could smell the salt of her tears. Even a human can smell tears. "I'm sorry—"

"No, Shuichi, I'm the one who should apologize," she sighed. "I'm sorry for being a freakishly stupid idiot. You just saved my life and all I could do was yell at you. I'm just confused right now."

"But I'm the one who put you in jeopardy in the first place."

"You can't help what you dream," she sighed. Then she did the funniest thing. She got up from the ground and threw her arms around my neck. "Don't ever blame yourself for my stupidity." She let go. "You got that, you jerk?"

I smiled, though I was still a little taken aback by her sudden hug. "Yes. I 'got' that."

"Thanks, Shuichi. Come on, let's get back."

Then she did another strange thing, then left me to ponder it as she walked away. She kissed me on the cheek.

As I've said before, what a strange girl.


	10. Volume Control

Okay…I just decided to update this one, too. Um…I don't think the transition between this chapter and 9 were all that great… In fact, I think 9 stunk. I'll rewrite it later…

Chapter 10: Volume Control

Bri 

After Kurama finally dragged me away from the forest, I began to feel a little weird. I don't know how or why all of the sudden I can sense what everyone's thinking and feeling so clearly. It used to be like little happenings, like I got "feelings" about what others were feeling. Now the emotions and thoughts were so clear, the sheer volume overwhelmed me.

Yusuke was radiating strange thoughts, especially about Keiko. So was Kuwabara (about Yukina), but his were a little more muddled and confusing. For some reason, he kept picturing her in a bunny suit (believe me, I am mortified). Hiei was a little different. His thoughts were just about everywhere, but for some reason leveled a lot with something he called "sweet snow", though I think it was really ice cream. He also cared for Yukina, but didn't have her in his thoughts constantly like Kuwabara-the-Rock-King did.

And then there was Genki, Keiko, and Shuichi. Genki's focused a lot on some tall guy who was currently in "limbo" (what was he doing playing that stupid game?). Keiko focused a lot on trying to get Yusuke out of trouble.

Shuichi, however, seemed to have two different trains of thought. One settled on guilt and gave me even more for myself because it was about me. The second seemed to focus more on this fight with the blond guy and another one with long _black_ hair and a silver facemask that I remembered from samurai days. I tried my best to block it out, but I couldn't block it any more than I could the others.

I couldn't take it all at once. My head was throbbing at two hundred miles an hour and didn't feel like it would stop anytime soon. I was aware that my knees hit the floor, and then the headache went away for a second before returning full blast on one issue—What had happened to me?

Then someone strayed from that pattern.

"Bri, did you meet anyone out there?" Genki asked.

"Yeah…one of our teachers, Gunner," I growled out. "Jeez, can you guys just stop thinking for a minute!"

"Bri, Kurama, follow me," Genki said. "The rest of you stay here. Kurama, this may sound difficult, but clear your mind. Bri can't handle it much longer."

"What is going on?" Shuichi asked. I could feel his emotions thinning, fading away. His breathing smoothed, and then the only thoughts I could feel at full power were my own and Genki's, who was also clearing her mind slowly.

"I think that woman may have just, in a matter of speaking, turned Bri's powers up to full blast," Genki said. "She can sense what everyone is thinking all at once, and it's tearing her apart from the inside out. Does that sound correct?"

"Besides the fact that my brain felt about to explode, yeah," I said. "Are you saying Gunner is part of Vacant Lot?"

"I can almost guarantee it."

I sighed. I'd liked Gunner a lot. "So what do we do now? I can't exactly go back to school tomorrow like this. I couldn't even handle this crew, how am I going to handle a bunch of high school kids?"

"You can't," Genki said. "They'd rip you to pieces before you even got into the room."

"I realize that. What do I _do_ about it?"

"You've got to control your powers. Be able to channel them, turn them down and up yourself, without help. Kurama, I think you would be well-suited to it."

"Me?" Shuichi's head suddenly screamed a thousand questions. I tried not to wince. I didn't succeed. "Genki, I hardly know anything of this power, how am I to—"

"It has a great deal to do with the way you manipulate plants," Genki explained. "You channel Spirit Energy through seeds to make them grow and shrink. It is essentially the same with Bri's Empathe abilities. You've got to teach her control over her powers. They come from a different source than yours, but Spirit energy and Dream energy are very similar."

"Dream energy?" I asked. "You mean my 'powers' come from dreams?"

"Yes. That is why you cannot sleep when you are, as you say, empathizing with another."

"I get it. It's energy of the mind, not energy of the body."

"Precisely."

"But how can we _do _this without attracting attention from anyone else?" Shuichi asked the logical question. "Kaasan won't take it if we just decide to stay home from school and the school would get suspicious if we're not there."

"Let me handle it. I'll handle the dimwit and the others, Bri. You can sleep in the guest room tonight. Kurama, I expect you to protect her in case this Gunner woman returns."

Okay, that's not good.

I mean, I trust Shuichi and everything, but a guy and a girl in one room does not bode well with me. I know now why I sleep like a rock, but _still_. Would I be able to with a guy in the room with me? Of course, I might just have to get used to it, with whatever circumstances Genki puts us in for this training business.

Shuichi led the way to the guest room, his mind a total white blank. Every once in a while, a thought would flutter across his mind. But some force would crush it down. A force I wasn't quite sure was all Shuichi.

"How come they call you Kurama?" I asked. "Out of curiosity."

An avalanche fell from the top of his head. At the top of the heap was one question, one that boggled my mind.

'_Should I tell her?'_

'_Can she take it?'_

Most curious of all was strange.

'_Will I be able to forgive myself if she goes through this all without the truth?'_

"Shuichi, I can hear your thoughts, remember?" I sighed. "If you don't want to tell me just yet, I don't care. Everyone has their secrets."

He sighed.

'_Why do I even bother?'_

I laughed.

"Shuichi, if I don't figure out how to turn this off, I'm going to have a big problem."

"I am a reborn demon. My name in the past was Kurama Youko."

I blinked. "I knew you were a demon, but I didn't think you were a reborn demon. Is that really possible?"

"Yes. I am here with you, am I not?"

A smiled crossed my lips. "How old are you, then?"

He smiled, too. "Around five hundred and fifteen."

I thought of Keiko. "Then you must…have seen someone you love die. In all your long years, I mean. Pathetic. I've only lived fifteen."

One word crossed his mind, fast as a roach.

It was quickly squashed.

'_Kuronue_.'

Genki's guest room was a simple enough place. It had two beds, a window, and a desk. That was it. Not even a closet. Not that we needed it. Shuichi, or, well, I guess, Kurama, claimed the bed near the window.

'_If Gunner does return, I can protect her from here_.'

"Thanks, that's a comforting thought," I said sarcastically. "Jeez. You think you can really help me squelch this 'power' of mine?"

"Not 'squelch'. Control. I honestly don't know how complicated it is. We will see. Go to sleep, it has been a long night."

"Okay. Just no more bloody battle dreams, okay, Youko?" I chuckled softly. "Don't worry about it, seriously. I'm good."

'She's like Yusuke and Hiei rolled into one. How can one person be—' 

"Don't finish that thought," I growled and rolled into my bed. I didn't even hear his response. I was already asleep.

I guess when I woke up the next morning, I expected it all to be a huge bloody dream or something. But when I saw the plain guest room and Shu—Kurama's—sleeping form in the other bed, I knew it wasn't. My bloody, ripped clothes were the secondary sign. I sighed. And nearly fell out of bed when Kurama sat up like a shot.

'What was that!' 

"Relax, it's only me," I said. "Were you ever actually asleep?"

"Yes."

'In truth, no, but…' 

Kurama didn't want to make me feel guilty. I smiled and got out of bed.

"I wonder what time it is?" I sighed. The sun was high in the sky outside the single window.

"A little past eight," Genki said from the door. Her mind was blank, save what she was going to say. She really needn't have bothered, except for Kurama's sake. "Botan, Keiko, and the Dimwit have gone to your house to collect some clothes for you. Bri, stay here. Follow me, Kurama."

That was a little strange. After a moment, Genki and Kurama re-entered the little guest room. Trailing behind them was the bouncy art teacher, Gina. I blinked in shock.

"Howdy," she said in rough English. '_Jeez, she prolly thinks I'm a fruitcake now_.' "Er, how do I put this? I'm going to, ah, turn you off." She reached over and closed her fingers around dead air somewhere between my forehead and my nose and twisted.

Suddenly, I couldn't feel but the normal reading-like emotions again. My headache slowly faded away. I shook my head roughly and smiled at them.

"What'd you do, Gina?" I asked. "Whatever it was, it worked!"

"Gina is a spy of Koenma's," Genki explained.

"Gunner and me go way back," Gina said grimly. "She's changed a lot, but she's still a pretty decent person. Joined the Vacant Lot because her brother's the top gun behind the whole thing."

"So do you have a clue why they're after me?"

"The plan's pretty complex, but the basic idea is as always, as usual for Gun Wa," Gina rolled her eyes. "He wants to take over the human world and allow demons full run of it, of course. The reason they want you, in particular, is your Dream energy."

"I thought Empathes only took their energy from their own dreams," Genki said. "Does Gun Wa know nothing?"

"Well, the thing is, this chick is special," Gina answered.

"Don't call me chick."

"Sorry. Anyway, it's something to do with her dad, if I remember right. If you turn her up full blast, she is basically connected to every person within about five thousand miles if they're asleep. Not only that, but you hurt her…you hurt everyone else."

"Hurt me?" I squeaked. My voice sounded pathetic, even in my ears. "You mean… They'd, I dunno, slit my wrists, turn me down, heal me, and let all those people…die?"

"That's the basis of it," Gina sighed. "Gun Wa has been planning this for years. Before you were even born. Everyone _knew_ you'd be special, because of who your father was. They even enlisted Kurama Youko to swipe your birth database, just before he died. I think that may even have been the one that got him killed."

I stared at Kurama. He stared right back, fear and worry etched in his face. Then, without even knowing the reason why, I smiled at him. It wasn't his fault. As a demon, he probably hadn't even known why he was stealing a birth database. Now, all he was to me was Kurama. He returned the smile tentatively.

"This Gun Wa fellow, which teacher is he?" I asked.

"Oh, he thought it'd be a clever joke to be called the same name as the man who almost killed Yusuke Urameshi," Gina rolled her eyes again. "Toguro."

"Well, that explains biology," I muttered.

"I've got to get back to the school before they catch on to this," Gina said, throwing a smile back at me. "I know where you're going. I'll bring your assignments to you, okay?"

"And my painting?" For some reason, it didn't feel right not to finish it.

"Of course. You'd better show it to me when it gets done."

She turned to leave the room, then stopped short.

"Oh, and Mr. Youko? I expect you to take good care of our artist here. She's right special, that one."

And she left.

Special? Me?

What the heck has she been smoking? Whatever it is, I want it.

Okay! Plot has thickened! We now know why Toguro (now aka Gun Wa) wants Bri's powers and what makes her so special. We also know one of the teachers that didn't have nothing to do with the plans. Why, oh, why did it have to be Gina? Because I love her so much, I guess. Can ya'll tell my biases when it comes to classes?


	11. The Chronodom

Okay! Now we start the training and we reach the plot point for DDR…oh, I gave it away. Oh, well, it's not like you know it entirely, right? So, anyone know word etymology pretty well? Here's a created word for you to figure out, and I give lots clues in the chapter. So tell me: What does "chronodom" mean, literally?

Chapter 11: The Chronodom

Kurama 

Koenma's tiny legs ran quickly, trying to keep up with Bri and I. Once I'd known where we were going, the task was simple enough. I knew Bri was trying her best not to laugh at the little toddler form Koenma usually had. His little pacifier was in his right hand, a very stark display of his otherwise calm visage.

If his father caught him in the act, I knew all three of us would be in danger. But there were few other places where Bri and I could practice alone. Where, if she did manage to turn her powers all the way up, the only person she could possibly harm is me. And Gina had taught me how to turn her powers down if that became the case.

Genki had been correct. Dream energy and spirit energy were very much alike, especially in how it was used. By manipulating my own energy into a kind of dimmer switch, I could help Bri control her energy without teaching her how. As Genki had said, however, it would be best for Bri to discover it as well.

And that meant teaching her how to harness her own energy.

This would be difficult, considering how far out of control with her own mind she really is. As I said before, Bri has many things in common with Yusuke and Hiei. Bri's control over her power was about the same as Hiei's control over the Dragon of the Darkness Flame prior to his training in the Dark Tournament. Why had my memories gone back to that time? It's been months since we were on Hanging Neck, and yet…

"Are you all right?" Bri asked.

I forgot just how powerful she is, even at the lowest rungs of her power. She doesn't even realize the extent of the power…and yet she is so helpless, like a kitten with four broken paws, still blinded and deaf. At least she would be able to see and hear once this training is completed. I hoped it would be enough to protect her at least on the surface.

I would have to make up for what she lacks in strength. Well, our whole team would, I suppose. At last, I answered her.

"Yes, I'm fine."

And I'll feel better once we are in our training location.

"How long do you think you'll need?" Koenma asked, pulling to a stop outside of a single, plain white door.

"A year, maybe two," I said softly. Bri threw her gaze toward me in shock. I explained quickly. "This room cuts time down. In reality, we will most likely be in there a week or two."

"Won't we change?"

"Our physical bodies will not age," I shook my head. "But normal functions in what we do in there, like muscle mass, hair, and food consumption, will change us."

"And what exactly are we going to do?"

"Train."

She sighed and nodded.

"Okay, then, I guess. Anything I should know?"

"Close your eyes until I tell you to open them," I said. "The light is almost as bright as the sun at first."

Koenma opened the door and we closed our eyes. I took her hand and together, we walked into the Chronodom.

Bri 

How was I ever going to survive locked in a place with only one other being (a _guy_, no less) for a _year_! Kurama was used to it, he's five hundred fifteen years old. He probably was alone for a lot of it, too. When he finally let go of my hand and told me to open my eyes, I nearly freaked out. Well, actually, I did.

"Who are you?" I asked.

Because in front of me was not the Shuichi/Kurama I knew, but a grown man with long, long silver hair and cute little white triangle ears and a white, bushy tail. He also had very slim, golden eyes and a knowing smile on his face. Somehow, I knew this was Kurama, but still, I needed clarification.

"The effects will wear off soon," he said. His voice was deep, soothing, and a little on the dangerous side. And downright sexy to boot. "I looked at the light. I'm still Kurama."

I blinked up at him curiously. "Then this is your…form, right? The one from the past, before you were reborn as Shuichi?"

"Correct."

Hot dang. Whoever heard of a foxy man? I certainly never had. Oh, well. I had no chance whatsoever of being Kurama Youko's girlfriend, anyway. Human _or_ fox form. He was too dang sexy either way (though the red hair was cuter). What was I thinking, Kurama sees me as his little _sister_!

God, help me.

After a few moments, though, Kurama's hair turned back to red and he shrank a few inches. His golden eyes widened, then turned their rightful green. Suddenly, the normal, oh-so-adorable but unattainable Kurama was back.

"That was interesting." I blinked. "Whoever knew you to have such a deep voice?"

He chuckled. "Thank you." He paused a moment. "You should change."

I was still in my torn and bloody pajamas.

The room beyond the white door was simple, almost a normal living room. There were two armchairs, one red and one blue, a television, and a little yellow coffee table. Off to another side of the room was a simple table with two plain wooden chairs. The only thing that I saw different were the walls.

They were covered ceiling to floor in clocks.

Each clock had a number and a letter, and a little digital day calendar beside it. There were two openings in the wall besides the door through which we had come, one that led to a kitchen and another that led to a single other room. A bunk bed sat against one wall here, and I tossed the bag that Botan had given me on the bottom one.

"The door in the living quarters changes to suit your needs," Kurama said, gesturing to another door opposite the beds. Besides the beds were a desk and two bureaus. This room, too, was covered in clocks. "What would you like for lunch?"

"A turkey sandwich sounds good," I said, shrugging. "I don't know what's in that kitchen."

"Anything you tell it," he said. "This place is called Chronodom. It permeates all time and space, and yet is confined right here. It does what you tell it to. Like a computer."

"Oh. Hmm. Interesting. And we get to use it how?"

"Koenma might get in trouble for letting us," Kurama admitted, a little sheepishly. He was cute with that look on his face… "But he thinks we have no choice. It takes time to learn what you need, and it's time we do not have."

"If you say so. I'll go change."

I will admit, even I was a bit suspicious of exactly how much time we had. Even a week might be pushing it. And to say I wasn't thrilled to have to be in this close proximity with Kurama would be an understatement. I'd only known him a few weeks, and we were both fairly reclusive when it came to our real selves. We didn't exactly trust each other, and now we would have to live together.

What had possessed me to want to go to Japan?

Oh, yeah, Keiko and me had always wanted to go to Japan. I wanted to know more about the people and the culture and the food. Mostly the food. She wanted to know more about her native country. Keiko always wanted to learn more.

I miss you, Keiko Sawaguchi.

After I'd changed into jeans and a blue t-shirt, I re-entered the bedroom. Most of the clocks had vanished, with the exception of one. It was the same in the living room and the "kitchen". The kitchen was a simple place—a table and two chairs and a white board countertop furnished with a black marker. Kurama was already eating rice, steamed broccoli, and Japanese-style curry vegetables and beef.

"Just write what you want on the counter," Kurama said, gesturing with his hands. His chopsticks, as usual, were at the top of his plate when he wasn't using them. Kaasan had taught him manners like most kids are ingraded with the alphabet in the U.S. He added one other warning to his words. "Be specific."

I wrote: _Pan fried chicken. Mashed Idaho potatoes with sawmill gravy. Chucked and buttered corn. Glass of Sprite._

Sure enough, a platter with said items appeared on the countertop. Except the corn. It must not have understood what "chucked" meant in farming terms. It literally "chucked" the corn at me, stalk and all. Kurama ducked, then returned to eating as if nothing had happened. Well, I shouldn't say that. He was grinning broader than the Grand Canyon.

"I told you."

"Well, it's not my fault the thing doesn't know what 'chucked corn' is. It just means it isn't in its husk!" I ate my lunch without corn, needless to say.

"You really told it to—" Kurama started laughing before he could finish. I glared at him until he finally spoke again. "I'm sorry!"

"Oh, well," I sighed. "I could get used to that. Without the glitches, of course."

"Don't worry. I asked for a chopsticks stand and all it did was make the chopsticks stand." Kurama smiled. I returned his smile.

"Well, all I can say is that this is some good sawmill gravy. At least they know what _that _is. The world isn't over yet."

And then, all too soon, it was time to begin the training. Kurama opened the door I'd used to change into my clothes. That time, it'd just been a small, blank room. Now, it was a little bigger, with a red curtain separating me from the other side of the room.

"To get a handle on any kind of energy, you first have to be physically able to handle it," Kurama said. "Your chosen exercise seems to me to be the game DDR."

"Yeah. It's fun." I shrugged. "What's that got to do with controlling my powers?"

"For now, everything."

He swept the curtain back, revealing a machine that looked very much like an unmarked DDR machine.

"This is a game from the demon world very similar to your DDR," Kurama said. "It's meant for beginning demon children all the way through to master swordsmen. This is how we're going to train your body to physically be able to handle your own power."

"How similar are the songs?" I asked. Most DDR songs were rock or pop, though some delved into others like hip-hop and Latino.

"Very."

He stepped onto the left-hand pad and pulled me onto the right by my wrist. The touch sent a tingle up my arm, but it was short lived. The machine started up and spoke in perfect English.

"This is an import," Kurama explained. "There are some demons that are allowed to live in Wyoming in America. They like to let human children try the game."

"Are you sure you're going to understand everything, then?"

"Yes. I was in America for a long time."

The machine interrupted. "What level?"

"Start on two, Bri. That's similar to Light or Standard on DDR."

"Pick a so—_Itsumo no Hitomi_." Kurama chose the song faster than I could see the screen.

A bass line began in the background, and then a young female demon with pointy ears similar to Kurama's came onto the screen. She sang in a sweet Japanese voice, but I could translate all of her song. My favorite part (up, right, horizontal, right, right, down) was this:

Can't seem to understand 

_What I'm fighting for_

_My lover's arms are closing_

_Can't breathe anymore_

_Is this what love is_

_Or is there something missing_

_In his Forever Eyes_

_In his kissing_

_Forever Eyes…_

I liked that song. She described Kurama perfectly, except, well, he wasn't my lover. He was barely my brother or a friend. Yet it seemed like an eternity since Takenaka left us and I unpacked in my new guest room in Nemoi. I missed the trolley and the feel of the air as we walked to the bullet train.

I even missed the dimwit, Yusuke.

And I hadn't even been here a day.

We played song after song after song. Kurama seemed to know them all, always getting high scores. I lost some and won some. By the time I realized that Kurama was just going down the list, I asked when we were going to stop.

"When you can't dance any more." Was his cryptic answer.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Getting stronger is about pushing your limits," Kurama answered. "When these songs are done, and you get them all down, we're going up to the third level. Then we go up more, until you can't keep up with them anymore."

Oh, okay. Until I couldn't move my legs any longer. Sounds good. Hey, wait, what about _water_! As if he read my mind, Kurama spoke again.

"If you get thirsty, let me know. We'll take a break."

And we kept on dancing.

By the time Kurama finally said we could quit, it was a couple hours past noon and I knew I was dehydrated. I should have taken a break, but those songs were so inspiring and interesting, I just couldn't. I couldn't see straight and I nearly fell over getting off the dance pad. Kurama helped me out of the room and back into the kitchen. He handed me a bottle of water, which seemed to never end.

After I finally caught my breath, I spoke.

"Okay…now what?"

"Can you dance anymore?"

"No!"

"Then nothing at all," Kurama sighed. "Until you're stronger, you can't try and harness your own power."

"Why not?"

"It would destroy you from the inside out."

"Oh. Ouch."

He smiled. "Soon you will be able to dance all day long, with only small breaks."

"Why did you choose the dance machine to train me?" I asked. "Why not running or martial arts or something?"

"You enjoy it."

"Well, yeah, but I thought you weren't supposed to have fun."

Kurama chuckled softly. "Whoever told you that?"

"No one. I just was under the impression…"

"There are few people with full choice who choose to do something they dislike."

"What, you mean to tell me Hiei _likes _being the Hn-meister?"

He laughed. "Hiei is very different from most people you know, Bri. He does enjoy his training, yes. Don't ask him to admit it."

"So it's fun to him," I grinned. "That's interesting. Say, you never told me how come you and him were involved in Yusuke's spirit detective work."

"I suppose not."

He didn't seem too eager to explain.

"Come on, Kurama. It's not like we're going to be doing anything else for a while."

For a moment, he didn't speak. His green eyes were distant, thoughtful, and pained. He rose from the kitchen table.

"This will take time."

I followed him. "We've got plenty of that."

We sat in the living room. And he told me.

He told me how Kaasan was sick, so sick that Shuichi could only think of one way to make her well again. How he joined Hiei and another demon, and together, the three of them stole three ancient artifacts. He had the Forlorn Hope.

"Why's it called that?" I asked. "Such a sad name."

"Indeed. The mirror acts on the full moon. It reflects the heart's deepest desires and grants them, with a price."

I drew in a breath. "The wisher's life?"

He chuckled. "Even at low power, you can sense it. Yes. I was willing to give up my own life again, so that my human mother could live."

"Uh, Kurama? You're alive. Kaasan's alive. What happened?"

"Yusuke appeared the night I made my wish. He asked the Forlorn Hope to take his life instead. The mirror decided to reward his noble act and grant the wish without taking either of our lives."

"Wow, dimwit to the rescue."

Kurama smiled. "I assisted Yusuke in retrieving a sword that Hiei stole. When we were turned in, Koenma suggested us assisting the spirit detective as our punishments. We worked out our terms, but I simply cannot leave my friends Yusuke and Kuwabara. I think Hiei feels the same, though I doubt it would be wise to ask him."

I smiled. "That's great. Tell me more about your missions! I want to know everything."

And he did. Well, I think he told the less-life-threatening parts, because somehow I doubted that the rock monster simply stayed down. Rocks that move usually are pretty hard to beat, at least in my experience.

What experience?

I don't really know.

And then he started talking about some weirdo named Toguro, who challenged Yusuke to a fight in the Dark Tournament. Instantly, I remembered the man that Kurama had fought, the one with the blond hair and the one with the black hair. Somehow, I knew they were actually one person. He was still talking about getting to Hanging Neck Island when I tentatively interrupted.

"Hey, Kurama?"

"Are you getting bored with my—"

"N-no, it's nothing like that," I shook my head quickly. "It's just…that was the place where you got hurt really bad. Isn't it? Against that guy with the blond hair?"

He tried to mask his quick intake of breath, but I caught it. I was right.

"D-Did you beat him?"

"I killed him."

He was avoiding the question. "Did you beat him?"

A sigh. "No. By a…technicality, in the rules, Karasu won. Even though he was dead. It was the first time in Dark Tournament history that the one left alive lost." He smiled weakly.

"Why is it that I expected that?"

"You probably sensed it."

"I don't _want_ to sense it, Kurama!" My hands flew around me. "I want you to be able to tell me or not tell me about something of your own free will. It's like I'm stealing all the answers without even trying to. And I don't want them."

"Maybe you'll be able to turn the powers off completely, when we're through. I don't know yet. I'm not familiar with them."

"Gina said it had something to do with my dad."

He was silent.

"I don't even know my dad. My mom's not even my real mom. I've never met either of them." I looked at the ground. When I looked up again, I smiled at him. "Thanks, Shuichi. Let's go eat dinner."

The challenge again: What does "chronodom" mean literally? I'm sorry about the DBZ time chamber thingie…I couldn't help it, and I wanted to get the story moving a little faster… I don't think it's possible to fall in love in a few weeks. So, if I give them a year together…Let's see what happens.


	12. Something More

Umm….so, here is the last chapter of this update. I was wondering…why is it that I got so many reviews for this? I know it's good, but my past stories have been good, too, or so I thought. I'm super-happy to be getting so many, but it's just the thought. Suddenly, I'm getting a lot of reviews. Well, a lot for me, anyway.

Why is that? UK is confused…

Chapter 12: Something More

Kurama 

I remember days where she would work herself until she blacked out. Why was she so determined to do this thing? It would help her, yes, but there had to be something else motivating her. This wasn't some idle thing to her. She was threatened and against the wall by the Vacant Lot, but that wasn't it. Bri was no scared little mouse.

There was something more here.

I always stopped her after four or five hours, because that's all I knew I could do on my own straight through. We'd talk idly about things, and I told her more about what had happened to our little spirit detective unit.

Then she would say something about going to write or draw or something, and she'd disappear into the other room. She'd come back out completely refreshed, so usually I only assumed she took a bath or a shower.

My curiosity had grown. After about a month of us repeating this cycle, Gina appeared at the door, her eyes shut tight. I was glad she was smart enough to close them when coming into the Chronodom. Or maybe Koenma had told her.

"Hey, Kurama, where's Bri at?"

"In the other room," I said. "It is unwise to interrupt her."

I don't know why I said it. Bri had never told me not to come in the room, nor had she ever displayed that she didn't want to be disturbed. It was an unspoken request, I think, from Bri. She'd never told me outright. Like I said before, she was like Hiei in many regards, and this was one of them.

She had a silent Bri-ish that she spoke to me.

"Ah, all right, then," Gina smiled. "I just brought your homework from today, and her painting. It's three on the outside, you know."

"Yes. I do know."

The time in the Chronodom compared to the time on the outside was fairly usual. It would probably be another "two months" before Gina returned with the next day's assignments.

"How's she doing?"

"Well."

"That bad, huh? Pushing herself too much. Just like her father." She set the books on the living room table.

"You knew her father?"

"Well, no, but Gunner did. Gunner knew them both, of course. Still knows her mother, in fact."

This confused me. From what Bri had said, she believed her mother to be dead, just like her father. Was Bri's mother alive?

"Earth to Kurama?" Gina waved her hand in front of my eyes. "Listen, don't tell Bri I said anything. Her mother… Well, let's just say Bri wouldn't like it."

"I wouldn't like what?" Bri learned against the doorway into the living room. Sweat coursed down her cheeks and back. "Hi, Gina."

"Er…hey," Gina squeaked.

Oh, just perfect.

"I heard it all, Gina. Spill. Where's my mother?"

"Well…that is…oh, Tsuki's going to kill me!"

"Tsuki?" Bri straightened. "What's Keiko's mom got to do with it?"

Gina's eyes were wide in fright, like a rabbit before a fox. Or like a wildebeest before a lioness.

"I-I…Bri, if I tell you, you promise you won't say anything?"

"That depends." Bri's eyes flashed. She was _not_ happy.

And yet she was so pretty when she was angry.

"On?" Gina squeaked.

"If you tell me."

"Okay, okay!" Gina closed her eyes tight, as though blocking out her sight would make it easier on her. "Tsuki is your mom! Okay, I said it! Tsuki Sawaguchi is your mother!"

And she ran out the door.

Calmly, Bri walked up to me, eyes closed softly. When they opened, I was instantly reminded of a lioness ready to strike.

"Kurama, exactly what did you think you were doing?"

I lost any protest in my voice.

"Don't bother me for a few hours." Her eyes narrowed straight into mine. "I have some thinking to do."

If I had wanted to stop her, I wouldn't have been able to. She ran from me faster than I could have reacted.

Bri 

The machine waited for me. I dove into the game, at level eight, and fired the steps out from my feet. Kurama and Gina had been discussing my mother behind my back. I gleaned that this was the first time Kurama had asked her about it, of course, but still, why hadn't he come to get me? Usually, I didn't want him to. But if Gina had come to give us our books, why didn't he come get me?

It didn't make any sense.

I started to meow at the screen. My cat sounds soothed my frazzled nerves, letting me take my dancing to new levels. I don't know how or why meowing with music could possibly have made me better, but it did.

I had to get stronger.

If not for me, then for Keiko's memory. Maybe even for Kurama. I was angry with him, sure. But I had to not think about him for a while. There had to be an explanation why he hadn't come to get me, probably a very simple one, too.

Until then, I'd dance.

For some reason, just the simple movements, back and forth, front and side, moving through the air with ease, made me feel better. Each time I gave a small mew at my accomplishments, I felt energized. Even when I hissed at the score for not being at least a good score, I could feel my blood pumping.

After two or three hours, I finally shut the machine down. I'd figured the room out pretty well. I didn't have to go out and come in again for it to change. All I had to do was think about what I wanted to do, and it changed.

I needed a bath.

A nice hot spring appeared and I sank into the mineral-rich water to sooth my nerves and legs even more. I always wore a bathing suit, on the off chance that Kurama might actually come in.

This time, I was right.

"Bri?"

"Come in," I sighed and turned to look at the door. "Look, I just want to know why you were talking to Gina without me. That's all."

Kurama blushed and looked away. "I…I thought you didn't want to be disturbed."

I could sense the truth.

"Why am I cursed like this, Kurama?"

He started and stared at me. "Cursed?"

"One day I'm an ugly little nobody that nobody wants in a nowhere school in the middle of nowhere, the next, I'm some powerful special thing that everyone's after."

Kurama sighed. "Is that really what you believe?"

I sighed and shifted my thoughts back to the simple room with white walls I knew from the first day. The springs disappeared and my clothes turned back to my normal blue jeans and white t-shirt. Kurama blinked in shock.

"I got used to it," I smirked. I meant it to both his question and his reaction. "Say, what did Genki tell the school, anyway?"

"That we were going to an art show in New York City," Kurama answered, still a little stunned. He was still in the doorway. "Gina did. Actually."

"Ah. So, how is she explaining that she's giving us our homework?"

"Email."

"Kurama, are you just going to stand there all day?"

"What? Oh…" He finally moved. I led the way back into the living room. "You're not angry anymore?"

"No. You told me the truth. I accepted it. Simple as that." Though, I'm still wondering how he knew I didn't want to be disturbed before. Was he an Empathe, too?

I grabbed the stack of books and slid into one of the plain wooden chairs at the table. Kurama seemed to hesitate a moment before taking the other chair and opening his biology book. I picked up the assignment list, written in Keiko Ukimura's neat handwriting. Her lecture notes were also there.

"Looks like Keiko's going to help us," I said. "She says the majority of the questions in the book he already covered in his lecture. She tried to take good notes."

Kurama nodded.

"Here, I'll be Toguro," I grinned, standing up with Keiko's notes.

"CLASS! Today we learn of single-cell organisms. Bacteria are some of these. WOLF! WOLF, what are we learning today?" I sank into my chair and glanced up as innocently as I could at the air where I'd been standing. "Er…today?" I stood up again. "WOLF! You're not paying attention! DETENTION!"

Kurama tried not to laugh, but as I was already laughing at my own interpretation of Toguro's biology lectures, he really had no choice.

"That's very good," Kurama choked. "Ever considered theatre?"

"Nope," I giggled. "Never crossed my mind. I don't think I'd do very well, considering I'd always want to top role. Kinda impossible with _Hamlet_, don't you think?"

"I don't know, I think a female _Hamlet_ would be interesting."

"Oh, yes. To be or not to be, that is the question! Should I wear a skirt or pants today, and do these shoes match this belt and that purse? Oh, the troubles of a female aristocrat!"

Kurama laughed even harder, shaking with mirth.

"What, now I should join a acting troupe? Or is this all just for your entertainment? We should get to work. Kurama?"

"I…I'm sorry…" he coughed into his hand, trying to get the laughter out. "You're right."

Keiko's notes were immaculate and precise. They looked nothing like mine, with doodles at ever given turn, especially with this class. In fact, I think my biology notebook was nothing but doodles at the moment, except where I actually could hear what Toguro said.

"Jeez, nothing but review," I grumbled, closing the book when I finished. "I already took biology in middle school, and it's all the same so far."

"You've only been in the class three days."

"I know. I just don't like biology. Especially the human part of it. I heard Japanese schools do sex ed in biology." I shuddered. "I don't like that."

"I think we'll start your training in harnessing power today," Kurama said, blatantly changing the direction of the conversation. I was sort of grateful for it. And a little suspicious. But I left it there.

I was starting my new training.


	13. Dream Energy

I was asked to explain the relationship between Keiko S., Bri, and Tsuki, their common mother, in an email review. This isn't entirely important to the plot, but you do have to understand some of it. Not sure if they wanted to remain anonymous or not…

But, here goes: Tsuki liked both Wolf brothers. She married Gun Wa Wolf and had Keiko, who is a year older than Bri. She had an affair with Marion, while Gun Wa was in Japan, in hopes of not being found out. She did not expect to get pregnant. Therefore, when she had Bri, she sent her away as an infant. Gun Wa wants revenge on Marion for stealing Tsuki from him and on Tsuki for being unfaithful. I didn't want to go into that much detail until later, but…I dunno, guess it does have some impact.

Just to let you know, the relationships are _far_ more complicated in this story, but it happens more toward the end…

Oh, and I was also asked to explain my name. Ugly Kitten. Why am I "ugly"? You know, when you have a litter of kittens, there's always a runt. The puny one, the sickly one, the one no one expects to survive. Few do. However, the ones that do are survivors, they're tough as nails and not afraid to bare their teeth. Hence, the ugly kitten. It has some connotative meaning in the "Ugly Duckling" as well.

Anywho…on with thirteen. I'll upload fourteen after this one, it's rather short.

Chapter 13: Dream Energy

Bri 

We sat in the middle of the white room, nothing but Kurama and me. He said distractions are unnecessary.

"Harnessing dream energy and spirit energy is slightly different," Kurama said. "I gather my spirit energy from my body. As a dream energist, you must gather all of your energy from your mind. You can, however, manifest it into visible energies, like I can."

"So the only difference is that I use my brain?"

"Yes. I warn you, you will have a headache after this."

"Then break out the Tylenol, buddy," I grinned. "Show me how you do it."

I watched closely as Kurama closed his eyes. I could tell he was holding back the bulk of his abilities, even if I couldn't sense it. His hair fluttered gently. Was he making that wind? It was warm and calming. Like a fresh summer breeze. I could feel him concentrating. He was so handsome.

Why was I born so cursed?

In the palm of his hand, a tiny ball of electrical green energy appeared. Power radiated from it, like a little nuclear power plant right there in the palm of Kurama's hand. I wanted to touch it, but I knew I'd get burned if I tried. Kurama's energy, after all, was used for attack and defense.

Like a beautiful, deadly flower.

The light faded.

"Now you try. Gather the energy in your mind and push it into your hands. Visualize it and hold it there."

Feeling a little foolish, I closed my eyes as Kurama had and visualized a ball of light appearing in my hand. I thought of the energy that had hurt me so many times. I felt it, tickling my cheeks and the inside of my skull, like a playful, demonic butterfly. I formed a net in my mind and caught the butterfly.

In the palm of my hand, a ball of golden light appeared. Just like Kurama's. However, mine flickered and was dead before I could get a good look at it. I glanced up, smiling at Kurama. My head felt like it was caught in a vice grip, but I'd done it.

My eyes suddenly drooped.

"I need a nap," I yawned. "How did I get so tired? I got plenty of sleep…"

"Genki said you might," Kurama said. "You use the energy from your sleep to create your energy. Since that was your first time, I thought I'd have to carry you to your bed."

"Gimme some credit," I murmured. My eyes felt like they were falling off the edge of the universe. "I'm awake…"

"That's enough for today." Kurama stood up and offered me a hand. I took it, but my legs refused to move. I yawned. "Can you stand?"

"Nn-mmm…" I shook my head and leaned against his hand. "Too…tired…"

My world went black.

Kurama 

Bri fell back against my arms, fast asleep. I had expected this, of course, but I knew that if I didn't teach her soon, she would keep pushing herself to her limits on that dance machine. And I knew that since she'd already figured the room out, she would keep on using the machine. This was the only way for her to at least get some rest.

"You're one stubborn kitten, Bri," I said to her. She wouldn't hear me. "I wish I could just tell you that you were special before you ever even knew about this whole thing."

Why can't I tell her?

I didn't know when I started liking her. I used to distrust her, and now, I'm infatuated with her every feline move. Even when she's angry with me, I can't help but see her beauty. She is beautiful, in her own special way. More cute than anything else. The way her little button nose and her too-wide cheeks mesh just right. She looks like a little kitten. Why didn't Kuwabara fall for her?

"Like Yusuke and Hiei combined, only more," I sighed. "Why is it that I get involved with these people?"

Because they were my friends.

I knew sort of when Hiei had become my friend, and when Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Genki had. Bri, however…I felt like I'd known Bri all my life. All five hundred fifteen years of it. She had a piece… A genuine piece of every person I loved. And yet there were things that made her uniquely her. These were the ones that I needed to know to know what made her special.

I lay her down on her bunk, the bottom one, and puzzled over it all. Her Empathe abilities were a given, but I think it was the little things that I loved most about her. How she laughed, how she was unsure of so many things, and how her eyes sparkled and reflected like a cat's.

It was no wonder her nickname was Neko.

But I liked Bri.

Bri was…nice. A great name. One that I wouldn't mind saying every day. But her scholarship only allowed her these three years. Then she would go home. She would return to America for real.

And then what would I do?

What would I do without her?

Imagining that, just one day not finding Bri there, smiling, crying, scowling, whatever, made my heart stop for a second. It was worse than imagining if Genki had really left us after the Dark Tournament. A different kind of tightness in my chest; Something more powerful than my friend Genki.

What was this girl doing to me?

I liked this chapter, even though it was short. It gave me a reason to make her give up her guard for a minute or two. Break the ice. Then things _really_ get rolling!


	14. Gabriel's Painting

Okay, I got a serious story that I want my reviewers to go read. It is a most excellent piece of work, slightly darker than HMIM. It's called Matchbox, by Ia…Io…I can't remember the name…Anyway, the summary says something about "Meet Lupin, and average, music-addicted girl who has one problem: A red-haired stalker who just won't leave her alone!" Something along those lines, anyway. It is hilarious and pathological all at once. You'll love Lupin! I did. So much, I'm drawing fan art for it.

I love this chappie! A little sap toward the end, but, eh, you guys all seem to like Bri enough to trudge on through it. Anyone remember the painting she started in Gina's class?

Chapter 14: Gabriel's Painting

Bri 

I lay in bed for a long time, when I finally woke up. Just resting my eyes and thinking about what had happened. How embarrassing! To fall asleep. I don't care if it was supposed to happen. I mean, the least my body could have done was wait until I got to my own bed so that I wouldn't have to be brought there. I just couldn't take Kurama laughing at me for falling asleep like that.

Still, I'd have to face the music sometime. I sat up with a sigh. My stomach was rumbling, my throat was desert-dry, and I felt miserable to boot. Kurama laughing at me would only make it worse.

"You finally woke up?" Kurama's soft voice carried in the room.

"Finally? How long I been out?"

"Nearly a week," he smiled. "I expected something more around a month or two, but it seems I am mistaken."

"A week?"

"Six days, to be precise."

I'd been asleep for six days. I moaned and let my head fall back against the wall with a heavy "thud". Kurama padded toward me.

"Don't worry about it. I told you, it will take a while before you can do anything substantial."

"I have all this so-called power in me, and I try one little thing and I go to sleep for a week. You do the math. I don't feel like crunching numbers. The math teacher is a torturous freak, remember?"

Kurama chuckled softly. "With an attitude like that, you won't get very far. Come on. You must be starving."

"Duh. Say, what'd you do all that time?"

"Training."

"Oh." I didn't really know what to say to that. It was really me who was supposed to be training, and I was dozing while he was training.

He spoke again. "Bri, your powers are no good for attack. I hope that's not what you were planning on."

"No." I said it a bit too quickly. How'd he known I wanted to help?

"Good. Your energy signature differed greatly from the attack style. You would be more suited for mind psychology. I will train you in some defense, if we get time."

Mind psychology? Me? Did he mean, like, more mind reading stuff? I hated that! I guess I can't escape my own powers, though.

I wrote on the little board what I wanted for breakfast and settled in at the table to eat. Kurama

"Hey, Kurama?" I said. "I'm going to keep training on the dance machine for a while longer. I'm not ready for the 'phenomenal cosmic powers' thing."

"I wouldn't quite say that about your powers, Bri," Kurama said. "You are quite powerful, but without the ability to control it…"

"I get it, I get it, yeesh," I griped. "I'm a helpless little kitty cat. Right?"

"With a hidden roar," Kurama laughed.

"Hey! What about you? I know you're powerful, too. How powerful are you?"

"There isn't exactly a power scale or anything of that sort…" He mused. "How could I tell you? You are barely able to comprehend that you yourself have powers."

"As all writers put it, sir, show, don't tell!" I grinned. "I want to see how powerful my Kurama-sama is!"

"_Your_ Kurama?" To my benefit, we were both blushing.

"Well…I…um…"

He started laughing. "Come on. Let's go to the room."

I dunno why, but we both let the words drop.

But he never did show me his power.

I spent so much time on the demonized DDR machine that I began to believe that Kurama might have finally given up. He tried to get me to stop after a few hours every day. I did, but only to get re-hydrated. Then I was back on, a woman possessed. We spent two months like that. I don't know what he did during that time.

Well, actually, I know that for the first few hours every day we were together. We'd broken into a routine that seemed so natural, it was like we'd been doing it for years.

First, he'd wake up and write his breakfast on the countertop. I'd wake up to the smell of fish. For some reason, Kurama really like fish. Especially rainbow trout, which was very rare in Japan, at least I think so. Then I'd write whatever I wanted (usually pancakes and Mountain Dew Live Wire) and we'd talk.

About whatever.

Most of the time, it wasn't serious stuff. More like getting to know the Spirit Detective team without actually talking to the individuals, but only to one team member. I told him very little about myself, really. Except Keiko. I told him a lot about Keiko, and my "mom's" stupid rules that I never followed, and Tsuki.

I couldn't get it out of my head that Tsuki was really my mother.

"Tsuki always _hated _me after I moved in across the street from her," I said one day. "Keiko never really said much about her, other than she needed to get home for curfew. She never baked cookies or made lunch or any of that stuff. Keiko always did. I rarely saw Tsuki. Why would my own mother be like that toward me?"

"I don't know," Kurama said. "I could only imagine what would happen if I hadn't loved my mother all these years…She defines me."

"In a few ways, I guess Keiko was the one who finally out and 'defined' me. Even though I'm nothing like her. You're like your mom so much…"

"And yet very different," Kurama said, a darkness I couldn't understand in his tone. I didn't like it.

After our "talks", we'd go and dance together for a few hours. Kurama coaxed me off the machine every day at noon, and we'd eat lunch. Then he'd go in his little "cove" in the top bunk of the bedroom. I call it a "cove" because he'd put curtains around it, attached to the ceiling. I had done the same to mine, attaching it to the upper bunk, the first week we were here.

Then, I'd go and dance more. Around six, he'd knock on the door. Just knock. It was my signal to take a bath so he could get one after I was done. I loved the hot springs that I kept getting, mostly because I'd made it up out of my own imagination. My own little piece of heaven.

And then we'd eat dinner, talk more, I'd work on my paintings (I'd finished the girl—it was gorgeous!), and go to bed.

But, most of all, I wanted to know what Kurama did while I was dancing. What did he _do_ while I was training? After about three months inside the Chronodom, Gina appeared once more at the door, bearing (ugh) more homework. She grinned at me.

"Well, looks like our kitten's gettin' stronger!"

"Nah, it's just me," I said. "What are you so chirpy about?"

"I think that painting's done, and I want to see it!"

"Oh, that one? Sure, I finished it a month and a half ago."

I dug the painting of the girl out and showed Gina the picture.

"H-Hey, wait a second!" Gina jumped. She was pale as a ghost. "I think…I recognize that girl! I saw her in a dream once."

"A dream?" I glanced up.

"Yeah! A couple of weeks after you left, I saw her. I didn't know you were going to paint her blouse that color, and it's the exact same shade!"

I puffed my cheeks. "Okay, freaky weird…"

"Do you know who she is?"

"Not really."

"Her name is Gabriel. She's one of the angels that guard King Yama!"

"WHAT!" I jumped to my feet. "What are you saying? And hold up, I thought angels were men!"

"I'm sure of it! That's Gaby, no mistakin' her face!"

I sighed. "Then why was she looking away from me?"

"Huh?"

"I saw her…in my mind. I wanted her to look at me, but she looked away. I had to draw her like that…"

"Gaby is a very powerful angel, in charge of fate," Gina said seriously. "King Yama has say in a lot of what she does, but she makes a lot of decisions. She's fated you with someone, I just know it!"

What a hopeless romantic.

"Uh, did it ever occur to you that maybe she was just fating me to become an artist or something to that effect?"

"You take the fun out of everything, Bri," Gina pouted. "Okay, I give. Probably. I've gotta get, see you two later!"

It wasn't until long after Gina left, when I was lying in my bed and writing in my journal, that I began to think about what my painting might mean.

The angel of fate. I painted the angel of fate without ever realizing it. What could Gabriel have been trying to say to me? Look into the future? Look to the past? Why did she look away from me? Could she have really meant my art? Or could she…

_Is Gina right?_

_Did fate point me to Kurama?_

_How I wish I could just say to him what I feel. This is so annoying, these emotions are so pent up and strange inside of me. I've loved so very few people. Keiko Sawaguchi and my adoptive mother were the only ones. I was such a loner. _

_Alone or lonely? _

_Someone once asked me that._

_Are you alone…or are you lonely?_

"_I'm alone in a crowd that wants to devour me alive," I'd said to them. "Of course I'm lonely. The world turned its back on me…So I turned away from it."_

_I got so used to Keiko's love, though. Now, without it…Without it, I'm sick. I don't feel _right_, like I should. I was meant to be alone. Then I wasn't. Now I'm not again and I'm heartsick. I've got Kurama, but he'll never know anything about me. _

_Someone heal me. I'm so heartsick, I'm bleeding. _

_This blood is a river._

_Please, die, river._

_I need you now._

_Where are you?_

_Someone…_

_Anyone._

_Heal my broken, heartsick mind._

Live Wire Mountain Dew and pancakes…I forgot about that breakfast. Sorry, had to bring it up again after that super-sad ending. So, what'd ya'll think? Am I good? Am I horrid? Oh…This is for my reviewers:

Stuck-in-a-tree: Thank you, I was trying my best not to make her annoying…Glad I succeeded. "Sometime soon" meaning a couple days later? I try my best to update quickly. Thank you for the review! I love you're nick.

Tsuki-no-sakura: Bri and cats…Oh, dear, that is something I cannot release the information on at the moment…I sound like a dang reporter. Sorry. You'll find out soon enough!

Sillylittlenothing: I dunno what you're thinkin' cause you didn't tell me…But glad to know I'm sneaky. I try. I really do. UK strikes again! Hey, if you're wrong, you could always take the idea and spin it off into your own story. I do that all the time…Though I disguise it very, very well. This story was inspired by another story…I can't even remember it. It had a good idea, but it didn't go in the direction I liked. So I took one of my characters and dumped her in the same situation. I _did_ kind of make up her Empathe powers, though…and how they worked.

And I think the one where they discover the missing heartbeat is next…


	15. Bring Me To Life

I know this is the chapter you've all been waiting for. Sorry it's late, I was looking over it and something didn't quite fit and I had to rewrite the entire Kurama sequence. And if you don't know my writing habits, usually, I will write everything at once, leave it, and come back in two or three days to look at it again. _Then_ rewrite again. That's why I have to have these things _completely_ written before I chance uploading them. Anything that's incomplete up here is the fault of not following that pattern.

So, here goes, the chapter where finally, _finally_ Kurama figures it all out. Well, Bri, too. I do not own the title of this chapter, Evanescence does. But I thought it fit the chapter so well… I also don't own No Vacancy's Heal Me, I'm Heartsick, or Yu Yu Hakusho.

Chapter 15: Bring Me to Life

Bri 

For Kurama and me, our routine remained unbroken, save the homework that we did once or twice a week, since we had the time. After another month had passed us by, Kurama spoke during lunch again. He hardly ever did, considering that he was so secretive about what went on in his cove.

"I think you should try your powers again today, Bri," he said. "To test yourself."

I shrugged. "Sure, why not? I'll sleep again. Maybe this time, I'll actually make it to the bed on my own."

His sharp green eyes seemed to flash for a moment before he nodded. "All right, then. To the room."

As before, we settled into the plain, white room. Kurama sat opposite me, Indian style, and I hugged my knees. He studied me a moment.

"Do you need my demonstration again?"

"Nah. I can do it."

I took my mind and made the ball. I found the butterfly, dancing just beyond reach. I pranced after it, pouncing like a playful kitten in my own mind. I formed the net and caught the little bugger fast.

A golden light lit in my hands, twinkling dimly there. I grinned up at Kurama.

"Look, I can keep it steady!"

"Yes. You've improved a great deal."

I let the golden ball of light slowly fade away. I was still a little tired, but I wasn't going to drop off like a rock this time.

"All right, I've got to ask," I said. "What have you been doing up in your bed while I train in here? My curiosity's going to kill me."

He stared at the white floor, unable to meet my eyes. Guilt. He was guilty. What had he been doing to make him guilty? When he looked up again, there were tears in his eyes. I nearly fell back in shock. Kurama was crying!

Why?

"I'm sorry, Bri…my curiosity got the better of me, as well."

"What? Did you read my journal or something?"

Silence.

I sighed. I knew it would happen some day, someone would really read the darn thing.

The why didn't really bother me so much. What really mattered to me was what he thought.

"Kurama, I don't blame you. Really, I don't."

"I wanted to—"

"Know the inevitable past, I know," I grinned. "I was kind of wondering if you were going to do it the foxy way like that. Guess you're more demon than I thought."

He laughed weakly. "Keiko…meant a lot to you. Didn't she?"

I sighed again. "Yes. She meant a great deal to me, more than you'll ever know. You know, it's because of her that I even wanted to come to Japan?"

"Because of her father."

"Yes. And no. Keiko and I shared the love of this country, for many separate reasons, but for one big reason. We both loved the language. I know. Right? Me? Interested in language? When I was younger, I wanted to be a linguist. I wanted to know every language I could as well as I could. Funny how things change. What about you?"

"Hmm?"

"What'd you want to be…when you were young? You and that other guy. Your partner, Kuronue?"

Kurama looked a little surprised. Then he shook his head. "You caught that, did you?"

"Yes… What happened to him?"

"I'm surprised you didn't find that, too." He sighed. I punched him in the arm. "Okay! Kuronue and I…we wanted to be thieves. The greatest demon thieves ever to steal from the Spirit World."

"Did you…?"

"We were. Then I was. Alone."

"Kuronue…is dead, then?"

"We were stealing something from the palace. His pendent fell and he went back for it. I couldn't do anything. Kuronue always fought with honor, and he saved me that day. He still saves me, every once in a while."

I sighed. I couldn't help but think that Kuronue and Keiko had some things in common, but I knew they were very different. Even from what little I knew of Kuronue. Obviously, there was the little thing that Kuronue was a demon, but it was more than that. Keiko would never steal anything.

Even if it would cost her life.

"Bri, can you tell me…about your life? I know very little about it, except from what you write."

"My past?" I chuckled. "My past is dark and scary, Kurama. You don't want to hear about it."

"Yes, I do."

So I told him. I told him all about my life, something I hadn't even told Keiko.

"I was born in a dumpy little box in a New York alley," I grinned. "Nah, just yanking yer chain. I don't know where I was born. The first memory I have was when I was three. I was in an orphanage. They told me my mom dropped me off there and left. Stayed there two years. Then they gave me to a foster mother in Virginia.

"Stayed with her a year, went to school. Didn't have any friends. What was the point? I'd only go away soon, anyway. Went to another foster mother in Georgia. Alabama. Tennessee. Texas. California. Virginia. I never stayed anywhere longer than a year. Sometimes I'd get caught in places I shouldn't be. I'll let you wonder what happened then, because I don't like remembering.

"Then, when I was twelve, I moved to Kansas with my new foster mom. I call her mom. I always called them mom, even though they weren't.

"That's when I met Keiko. She was my first friend, the first person that I really connected with and loved. We both wanted to go to Japan. So much. We talked nonstop about what we would do once we got here. We talked about doing a foreign exchange program for years, but we wanted to wait until we were high school age.

"So there. It's a nutshell, but it's all I'm willing to give."

Then a funny thing happened. Kurama was staring at me, his green eyes strange and wide. I knew he'd waited for me to finish before saying anything.

"What did you mean by getting 'caught in places' you shouldn't have been?"

I rolled my eyes. "I don't like remembering that stuff."

"No, I want to know. What 'stuff'?"

"You don't want to know." I looked away. I tried to keep looking away, even though Kurama's eyes were all but begging me to look at them.

"Bri… Were they really so terrible?"

"When you lose everything, terrible things don't seem so terrible anymore." I looked at him, finally, and gave him my most cynical smile. "The dark streets don't look so bleak, and time doesn't seem to drag. Keiko meant the world to me. My world's crashing down now that I don't have one anymore."

"I know what it's like, Bri," Kurama said softly. So very softly. "My heart's been taken from me and crumbled to dust three times."

"I thought I had it bad with once," I grunted. I reached over a hand and patted his shoulder gently. "Listen—"

"No, stop. It's different with you. You keep saying your dead, Bri. You're dead, you're heartsick."

"And it's true."

Suddenly, he stood up. He shouted: "No, it's not! You're not dead!"

But I was. I was so dead. I was almost as dead as Keiko was.

I didn't know quite what to say to him, to let him know how dead I really was. I didn't want to be dead. But I was. I was dead. I just looked at him. He looked at me, a wild look in his eyes that reminded me so much—_so much—_of Keiko.

"Why are you trying to bring me back to life?" I said. I meant it to be said in a deep, strong voice of a ghost you could see but not touch. It came out a whisper. Barely there. I wasn't even sure if he heard me until he spoke again.

"I don't know," he answered. "Maybe… I just care that much, Bri. Maybe I just want to know why you believe yourself dead when you're standing here before me, alive and well. In Spirit World, yes, but still _alive_."

I just care that much… 

He cared about me? About little me, little Bridget Wolf?

At that moment, I felt a light inside of me. I know it sounds rather stupid, but I felt warm inside. Like eating a fresh-baked cookie, made with love, straight from Keiko's hands.

That's when I remembered something. A strange scene, inside my head.

"Kurama… How again did Yusuke come back to life?"

"Wh-What?"

"How did Yusuke come back? Don't ask me why, just…tell me." Something nagged at my mind. _Lightning_. Something about _lightning_. Something about _buttons_. Blue ones, the color of Botan's hair, and lightning, and rain, and pain, so much pain.

"Keiko gave some of her life energy to him…through a kiss," Kurama said softly. "Why, what's wrong, Bri?"

"I think maybe…something happened that night on the hill. Something to do with Botan and lightning and little blue buttons and Keiko's grave…"

Kurama 

I wasn't sure what to do anymore. Bri was acting so strange. Her journals were so mortifying. What if she really would die? I don't know if I could take it. This wasn't like it was with Genki. I was sad when Genki died. I would be devastated if my mother died, but I would be able to go on.

But Bri?

I wasn't so sure.

"Bri, what are you saying?"

"Kurama…I think I really am dead."

"You're not. Look at you, you're standing—"

"That's not it! I'm solid, I'm walking, I'm talking, but my _heart isn't beating_!"

What was she talking about? I stared at her, not quite sure. I wasn't sure of her at all, she sounded like she'd lost herself. She rolled her eyes, a fevered look in her eyes. She grabbed my hand and pressed it against her heart.

"My heart. It. Is. Not. Beating."

I stayed there for a long time. How long, I wasn't sure. But when at last I took my hand away, I knew it was so.

Bri really was dead.

Her heart had stopped.

"Wh-When did you…"

Instead of answering, she started pacing.

"It's weird. Sometimes it starts beating again. Kurama, I don't know what to do! I really am dead!" She stopped for a minute and looked at me. "I've been like this since that night on the hill. I didn't really notice until later, but…"

"Is that what you meant by 'heartsick'?"

It was a stupid question. Why had I asked her that? Her _heart_ wasn't beating! We had to get her to a doctor…Something!

"No…yes…maybe…I don't know! We have to find Botan. I think she'll know. She is the Grim Reaper…I keep remembering her face on the hill. On that stupid oar of hers."

I grabbed her hand. "Come on. I know where we can find out. Close your eyes."

I pulled the door to the Chronodom open and pulled her outside. My transformation took over. Youko came back to me.

It took only a few seconds to make our way into Koenma's office, past all of the ogres and paperwork.

"Where's Botan?" I demanded the minute I saw the toddler.

"Wha—Kurama, Bri, what are you two—"

"Where is Botan?" I pressed.

"She's over—"

"Botan!" Bri broke from my hold. "Botan, I've got to talk to you!"

The bubbly girl was startled to see us. I could see it in her eyes. Bri talked to her in low tones, but I could hear them, still. I was, after all, in my demon form.

"Botan, what happened to me at Keiko's grave? You were there, I remember."

"You were hit by lightning," Botan confessed. What? "But you weren't supposed to be, so I brought you back to life."

"Did you by any chance _botch_ that?"

"Whatever do you mean?"

Bri took Botan's hand as she had mine and placed it over her heart.

"O-Oh, dear…How are you even walking about?"

"I don't _know_. I'm alive and dead at the same time, Botan! Is there any way I can become fully alive again?"

"I suppose…If you just wait a while, if it starts beating. It's a little difficult. Actually, this is rather interesting. Usually humans can't move after their heart stops beating."

"I don't care how interesting it is, Botan, is there any other way?"

"Afraid not."

She sighed. "Okay, then…I guess we can see how long I'll live until then." Bri glanced over at me and said aloud. "Come on, Kurama, let's go back to the Chronodom. Nothing more we can do."

Calmly, Bri walked beside me. She looked nothing like the panicked girl I'd seen back in the Chronodom. She was the epiphany of calm. I listened close with my demon ears. She had no heartbeat, though there she walked, as plain and alive as ever.

From the back of my mind, I heart the old Youko speak up.

I thought you said you'd never fall in love again.

In love?

What do you call this attraction you have for this human? 

I had no answer.

Kiss her, Shuichi.

What? No! What if she doesn't like me?

You have the same argument every time. What if she does? 

Then…I'll talk to her about it.

Good, talk about it. Then kiss her.

What was my subconscious trying to do to me?

Tell her how you feel. Close your eyes this time, we don't want to shrink to a child.

At last, everything's falling into place. I have one quick question for ya'll. If I wrote a sequel, would anyone want to read it? I was thinking of making Bri meet the _past_ Kurama and Kuronue. I left enough open ends that we never really know what happened with Tsuki, her mother. So, what do ya'll think? Is a little time traveling in order after this is all said and done?

One more thing: That Matchbox story by Iaragon? I made some fanart for it, if anyone wants to see my skills with colored pencils. In my opinion, I'm a better artist than writer…If you want to see it, it's on under my pen, angelindigo.


	16. Cat and Fox

I dunno about this chapter…it's essential, but I still want to rewrite it again. I've rewritten it three times now. I've got to stop doing that. Oh, well…here goes.

Chapter 16: Cat and Fox

Bri 

Ever since Kurama found out about my heart, he's been really quiet. Not detached or anything, just really soft-spoken, almost shy. Well, more than before. I've kept up my training on the dance machine, and I keep painting more. We eat together, but we don't talk as much anymore. He's just really quiet.

Why is he so quiet?

I guess if I had to live with a dead person, I'd be quiet, too.

After a while, I could hold the golden light steady without feeling tired. It's when I started doing it multiple times that I started needing sleep again. Gina appeared again after another month with our homework. I had left everything on that table. She smiled at me, seeing the angel of fate still on the top of the stack.

I sat down at the table with my biology homework. We were still on tiny organisms. I wanted to throw it all away, but I needed this credit. Even if the school wasn't really all that certifiable, at least this meant that I wouldn't have to take the subject again if we transferred or whatever.

We had to write an essay on single-celled organisms and their environment. I didn't even know if Kurama had come out of the other room or not. I just started writing on the assignment. I figured this, too, we'd do in silence. Whether he was there or not.

"Stop."

I nearly fell out of the chair. "Jeez, Kurama, don't scare me like that!"

"Bacteria can live in extreme temperatures," he said softly. "I thought you took this class in middle school."

He was talking again. That was good.

"Yeah…I did. I just didn't pay attention."

I crumpled my essay up and tossed it in the general direction of the trash can. I'd pick it up later.

"Bri…" I kept my head down on the table. If I didn't look at him, maybe he'd keep talking. "I'm sorry about my silence of late. I've been thinking."

"For a couple of weeks?" I smirked to myself. I laughed softly. "I thought you were smarter than that."

"Damn it, Bri, listen to me!"

I blinked and finally looked up. "Sheesh, I didn't even know you knew that word."

He started pacing.

"I needed the time," he said. Pace. Back, forth. Back. Forth. "Bri, we've gotten to the point where we know one another like we know ourselves." He avoided my eyes as I sat in my chair. I had a bad feeling about where this was headed.

"Yeah, we have."

He stopped pacing. Those beautiful green eyes studied me. Like suddenly I really would finally follow my heart in death. I'm not sure why, but I wanted him to keep looking at me like that. Like if he didn't, I really _would_ die.

"You wrote once in your journal about your painting," he said. He picked it up off of the table, the painting. "The angel of fate. Gabriel. You wondered what it meant."

I panicked. I'd forgotten about that particular entry. The poor guy must be traumatized, that was it. I'd hurt his trust, somehow.

"I'm sorry if I—"

"Calm down." He stared at the painting, at Gabriel, looking away from him. "You wrote that you were confused. I was, too. Are you still confused, Bri?" I'm sure my nose twitched, which was a definite sign of confusion with me. Where was this headed? And why did he keep looking at my painting like it was his last link to sanity?

"Y-Yes…About a lot of things."

He turned away from the painting, set it down on the table. Kurama's lean back was to me. He was looking away from me, just like Gabriel was in my painting. "So was I…for a long time. I want to know something. I don't want to be confused anymore."

He glanced over his shoulder at me. His eyes were scary-looking, almost maniacal. When he spoke again, his voice was quiet, but firm. Resolution was in his face.

"Not about this."

I stared at him, pausing before considering what should come out of my mouth. This was getting scary, at least to me. Exasperated, I spoke at last.

"About _what_, Kurama?"

He chuckled softly. A little forced laugh, the kind that made you wonder why someone was nervous. Why was Kurama nervous? His voice was low when he spoke at last. It sent a shiver down my spine.

"I wonder, Bri, how you f-feel…about me."

My knees started shaking under the table. My heart started to flutter, to beat. Just a few seconds. It was beating again. Then it stopped. Again. I stared at Kurama. I tried to work my mouth, to say the words. To say, "I love you, that's how I feel." Instead, I managed to whisper another question.

"H-How I f-feel about…you?"

He was blushing. Kurama's face was so red, darker than his hair, I almost laughed. This was a joke, right? I was going to get caught in the joke. His green eyes trailed down, and stared at the floor. I stood up from my chair, a little shaky, but still, I could do it. I stared at his face. A little higher than mine, a little harder to see. I thought about getting on the chair, to waste time.

I didn't know what to do, except ask yet another question. "The truth?"

He nodded.

I chewed on my lip, something I never did. I could feel my knees quaking, also something that had never happened. Tell Kurama the truth? I wanted to tell him the truth. I wanted to feel my heart beating…

"I'm closer to you than I ever was to Keiko," I said softly. "Than I've ever been to anyone else. Sometimes… My heart starts beating again when I just look at you. I'm not so heartsick anymore. I like you. A lot."

Like. I'd said "like". Like a little seventh grader and her first crush. I felt my face burn in embarrassment. Was this what he wanted? To make me make a fool of myself? I knew Kurama better than that, though, deep down. I knew Kurama had a reason to ask me these questions.

His green eyes swung straight into mine, like they were meant to be there. Kurama's face was so close, I could barely see anything but his eyes. Not that I minded. He smiled at me, a smile that I'd never seen before on his face. Giddy. My heart fluttered. Started. Stopped. My spine shivered. My stomach twisted itself over and over in knots.

"I love you, Bridget."

He got it right. He said my name.

I laughed just like he had. That same nervous laugh. "I had no idea. Me, too."

Kurama smiled wider.

I wasn't quite sure what to do. I mean… What do you do when someone tells you they love you? Just run off and kiss them? I'd rather just stay like this forever, him staring into my eyes and I into his. I don't know how it happened, who made the first move.

But suddenly, our eyes were a whole lot closer. I smiled at him, a strange pull at my lips that felt different. My heart started, beating faster and faster, like a little jackhammer in my chest. I felt a gently touch on my cheek. His hand.

I was shivering, and not from the cold. Suddenly, his lips were on mine. So quick and soft, I wasn't really sure. I studied his eyes. A tint of gold shimmered among the familiar green. I smiled at him, held my arms around his neck. His lips fell on mine, and I moved to meet him kiss for kiss.

His lips were silk and fire. He tasted of chocolate and the wild forest, dangerous and potent and sweet all at once. I kissed him back and slid my arms around his waist. The world spun in elegance and danger, like a dance of knives. A purr escaped my lips, a purr like a cat's.

I know now why he was a fox demon. He was sharp and sensual. His hands ran up and down my back, slowly lighting a fire. I don't know how, but my hands found his hair. Soft and vibrant and gentle, like a fox's furry tail. I smiled into his mouth.

And lost myself in him.

I've got three votes yes on the sequel, so I went ahead and started it up. For whoever said to finish this one first…it _is_ done. I just don't wanna upload it all at once. Aren't I sooooo evil?


	17. What Base Are We On?

No more AN at the start of the chapters. You guys don't pay attention to them, LOL.

Disclaimer: I don't own Kurama. I own Bri. I don't own Yu Yu Hakusho. That dude Yoshi-something does.

Chapter 17: What Base Are We On?

Kurama 

I wasn't sure how everything had gone from being friends, to being siblings, to being…now. To being in love. All I know is that now she knows. Bri told me that her heart started beating when I kissed her. It stopped soon after, though. She was really happy that I'd finally learned how to say her name correctly.

So was I.

We stayed mostly the same. Confessing it aloud really didn't change much of anything, other than we knew for sure. We knew that we were in love.

Sometimes, I caught her staring at me, with a little notebook in her arms. Her hands ghosting softly over the paper. I think she was drawing me, but I couldn't be sure.

Bri kept up with her training. If she wanted to, she could have made a very weak Spirit Gun. I wasn't about to tell her she was nowhere near as powerful as Yusuke when it came to fighting. Even after a year in the Chronodom, training every day, she couldn't hold a candle even to Kuwabara's strength when I first met him.

But she could, at least, control her own Empathe abilities.

The last day we were going to be in the Chronodom, she decided to test her abilities in the somewhat safety of the room. I sat in the corner, away from her in case the distance might protect her—and me—from her powers. I found it quite strange that she was so weak in Spirit power, but so strong in Dream power.

"Okay, Kurama. This is it." She took a deep breath, and then gathered her Dream energy into her hands. The gold sparked, far brighter than any ordinary light. Like lightning. For a moment, she did nothing.

Then she started turning up the "volume".

At first, it was like a tickle on the edge of my mind. Slowly, it turned to pain. A headache…a migraine…two boulders crushing my skull… She resisted all that she could against my mind. But still, I could feel everything about her. How her heart wasn't beating, how her skin was a little cold. I could feel myself and her all at once. She whimpered softly, a helpless kitten's mewl. I found my voice doing the same thing. A trickle of sweat dripped down my spine and hers.

Suddenly, it all vanished, only an echo of the near past. Bri gasped for breath, like a winded lioness.

"Oh, God…" she moaned. Her breath came short. "Kurama…Kurama, are you all right?"

"I should…be asking…you…that," I said, trying to catch my own breath. She shook her head roughly. Curls of dark brown hair flew around her face. Her hair had gotten so long in our stay. I'm sure if I hadn't cut mine once a month, it would be three times its length now.

"If I ever have to do that in a crowded room…I think my brain will split in half."

I smiled through the aftershocks. "That's what this was for. Do you have all your things?"

She nodded, her brows furrowed in thought. Perhaps pain. I still felt the lingering hold of her mind in mine. It was only a small headache, but it recalled very vividly the pain it had wrought.

Bri packed up her things into a back pack. Since I had already done so myself, I helped her. When she wasn't looking, I slipped the notebook I'd seen her with into my pocket. It was really no bigger than a small paperweight, unnoticeable. I caught a quick glance at the first drawing. I was right. She had been drawing me.

Why had she been so secretive about it, though? I would have said yes, if she wanted to draw me. I sighed inwardly. I suppose that really was just Bri's way. I should have known.

Bri held her pack and a suitcase that contained all of our homework. We closed our eyes and walked together back out into the real world. For once, I had not held my eyes open. I don't think Koenma could have handled seeing me in my demon form again after the scare we'd given him.

"Ready to go home, Shuichi?" Bri said. "Kaasan's going to be happy to see us."

"Yes, she will." I smiled and patted her gently on the head. "You look too much like a cat."

"Is that supposed to be derogatory or a compliment?"

"Compliment."

"Thank you much. I love cats. They're my favorite animals." She gave me a goofy, feline grin. "Did I ever write _that_ in my journal?"

I blushed. "I'm sor—"

"No, Kurama, don't be sorry." She stopped me in the hall. "I wanted you to read it. It's crazy, but…I wanted you to. If I turn these stupid powers up, I'm privy to your every thought, everything about you. You haven't a clue about me. I wanted you to know, even if it's only that small part, when I have my pencil on the page."

She'd expected me to read it. She actually dangled the journal as a bit of meat before my nose, hoping I'd take the bait. Somehow, I was happy that I'd taken my animal instincts. I guess I really still was Kurama Youko inside.

Even when I was also Shuichi Minamino.

Bri 

Kaasan was happy to see us home. She brought us both into a warm, three-way hug, and then sped away to the kitchen. I glanced at Kurama.

"We were supposedly in New York at an art show," I said, softly enough that he could hear and she couldn't. "What are we going to say? I don't like lying to her."

"Neither do I," he sighed. "I've always had to do it. She wouldn't be able to take it."

I guess it was true. How would you explain to a woman who's thought her son was merely Shuichi Minamino that he was really the reincarnation of an ancient fox demon named Kurama Youko? I'd barely been able to take it, and then only because they had instant proof at the time. What would Kaasan say if her Shuichi suddenly manipulated a rose into a deadly whip before her eyes?

"Guess we just wing it," I shrugged. "Come on, I want to unpack."

I took the tiny door that I hadn't seen in a year down into the basement. I stared at the room that was mine. It was exactly as I'd left it, maybe only a few day's worth of dust. We'd only been gone a week in this place, and yet it was really a year. What would Kaasan say if she knew we'd had an entire year together in the same three rooms? I guess I'd probably laugh and call the men with the nice white jackets.

Slowly, I unpacked all of my clothes into the chest of drawers. They were a lot more worn than they'd been. A year on that dance machine had left some with holes in the knees and shaggy cuffs. I guess I'd have to go grunge for a while so Kaasan wouldn't figure it out. She was too smart for her own good.

Those last few weeks, when Kurama was so lost in thought or openly reading my journal, I had secretly kept a tiny notebook containing drawings of him. Mostly they were of him reacting to my journal. His eyes widening, smiling, laughing, even once he had tears in his eyes. I searched at the bottom of my suitcase for the notebook so I could hide it away as soon as possible. If Kurama knew I'd been drawing him… It wasn't his reaction so much as mine that worried me.

But it wasn't there.

I panicked. My heart started beating again, racing in my chest. What if I'd left it, what if Kurama had it, what if I'd dropped it? I tried my best to calm myself and slid out of my room and into Kurama's.

"Hey, Shuichi," I said, partly in case Kaasan was listening in. "Have you seen a blue notebook somewhere? I had it in my suitcase…"

"This one?"

He had it.

Kurama had the notebook.

I tried to breathe normally as I held out my hand. Gingerly, I turned up my Empathe skills, just enough to read Kurama. I wanted to know if he'd seen what was inside the notebook. I took the book and turned away.

She's so beautiful…

Why doesn't she just ask me if she wants to draw me? I'd say yes in a heartbeat…

I took the notebook back to my room, a blush crawling over my cheeks. Guilt jabbed at my chest. I'd been so worried about what he'd think about me drawing him that it hadn't occurred to me to just ask. I'd reduced myself to a stalker.

What was this boy doing to me?

I just want to sit and stare at him, listen to his voice. I just want to cry in front of him, just to hear him say those sweet, soft words. I didn't want to sneak at hearing his thoughts, I wanted to let him tell those thoughts to me aloud.

Kaasan called us back up for dinner. We ate together, Kurama, me, and Kaasan, as if we'd only met a week ago. I still was being asked those questions that you ask a person you barely know. The neutral ones, you know, like complimenting on the weather and asking how the schoolwork was going.

Kurama and I were past all that, but _Kaasan didn't know_. She thought we'd been at a stupid _art show_ in New York. Sure, we'd had some time together if we'd actually gone on that trip, but the time we spent in the Chronodom was intimate. So intimate, in fact, that we'd…we'd…

What were we now, I wonder?

I couldn't really say we were lovers. Lovers, well, they made love. He wasn't my fiancé, and we hadn't really gone on any sort of date. So we weren't boyfriend/girlfriend. What would you call this sort of relationship?

I expressed this to Kurama, in the softest of whispers, in the hallway outside of our rooms. Just before bed, before we'd have to go back to school in the morning. He cocked his head to the side in thought. I think he'd picked it up from me, because I don't recall him ever doing it before.

"I don't know."

"It's kind of important for me…" I whispered.

"Tomorrow night," he said. "I'll take you on a date. After school, I'll take you somewhere."

I threw my arms around his shoulders and whispered in his ear. "Thank you, Kurama."

He hugged me back. I could feel his smiling heart beat against my chest, where mine feebly joined it for a few moments.

"Good night, Bri," he said softly, letting me go at last.

"Night, Shuichi," I said aloud.

I walked into my room and collapsed into the bed.

And lay there.

A spike of fear struck me like a piano chord. I couldn't get to sleep. I couldn't get to _sleep_. If I didn't sleep, I'd wake up hurt. Would I wake up dead this time? I tossed in my bed, trying in futile to fall to the bliss of slumber.

Minutes passed. Half an hour. An hour. Two. Three. I sat up in bed with a sigh. There was no way I would sleep. Maybe this time, the pain wouldn't be so bad.

And maybe I'd wake up dead.

I climbed out of bed and ran a hand through my hair. It was slightly longer than it had been. Koenma had let Botan cut it before letting me go back. Kaasan would definitely figure some things out if I'd gone back with hair past my shoulders. Kurama, somehow, had kept his hair the same length. It boggled my mind.

I was just about to go try to sleep again when a soft knock came at my door. Kurama peeked into my room, his green eyes shimmering lightly in the moonlight of the basement window.

"It's happening again…isn't it?" he whispered. I nodded.

"I'll wake up hurt again," I said, my voice lower even than his. "I hate this. I thought my training was to _prevent this_." I wasn't sure he'd even heard me. He didn't speak. Softly, he turned the knob of my door so that it wouldn't make a sound. A soft touch on my shoulders and then he spoke.

"The only way to prevent it is sleep."

A whine entered my voice. "I _can't_."

He smirked. It made him look a little like Hiei, when the light hit just wrong. "Right. If I can sleep with hundreds of years of thievery and murder on my hands, you can sleep through this."

"But…Okay, what do you suggest?" I sat on my bed and lay my head in my hands.

"Lay down," Kurama commanded.

I wasn't sure what he was going to do, but I dared not disobey him. His tone was enough. I wasn't going to disobey him when he had that tone. I lay my head back on the pillow. It wasn't until after I did so that I realized I'd acted like a scared child. _He'd_ acted like a scared _parent_.

He chuckled softly. The sound send shivers down my spine.

"You look so much like a cat, little Neko." I giggled. Even I could hear the nervousness in it, and I'm sure Kurama did. "Calm down. Relax. I don't bite."

"Listen to who's talking, Kitsune," I retorted, trying to keep the playful tone to a minimum. I don't think I succeeded.

"Point taken, Neko." He laughed. "Stretch your muscles. Then, let them loose."

He guided me through each muscle group, patient and trusting. I did as I was told, stretching all of my muscles one by one. The minute I released the tension in them, it was like I didn't want to move again. My eyes refused to fall closed.

That tone again. "Close your eyes."

"I can't, Kura—" His lips on mine interrupted his name. My eyes slid closed. They began to open again when Kurama drew back. He closed them with his fingers and a soft command.

"Don't open them again."

Suddenly, I felt it. A gash appeared on my forehead. Someone's head had struck something. I saw through their eyes for one moment. A baseball bat. They tried to run, but tripped. Scraped the knee. My knee bled.

"Bri, cut yourself off," Kurama whispered, his hands on either of my cheeks. "Turn the powers off."

"I…I can't…" I whimpered. I reached up to touch the blood running down my forehead, but Kurama's hand pushed mine away.

The person jumped up and took off again, running blind into a forest. He went unfollowed. My vision faded from him, though I hadn't yet opened my eyes. Kurama's hands placed pressure on my forehead gash. I still hadn't opened my eyes.

"He escaped?" Kurama whispered. The blood from my knee leaked through my pajama bottoms. Some trickled down my leg.

"Yeah…" I smiled weakly. "We're both pretty lucky. He's gone home. Safety, for him."

Kurama placed a bandage over the gash, and then rolled up my pants leg and tended to it. I tried to sit up, but a strong hand on my shoulder pushed me back down.

"Kurama, why can't I sit up?" Plaintive wail. I sounded like a sick little kitten.

"I don't want you to." The same playful tone I'd used on him.

I pouted and let my eyes fly open. He rolled my pants leg back down and sat on the edge of my bed. Kurama smiled, his deep green eyes soft in the pale light of the moon.

"I'm glad you're okay," he said. "At least this time, it wasn't Karasu trying to bomb you to death." I think he was trying to be sarcastic, but it was in the same smooth tone he always had around the others.

I gave a half-grin. "Yeah, true. Just a baseball bat this time, chief, I'm all right."

"Baseball bat?" His eyes flashed. He glanced at the bandages around my head, just quick enough for me to notice. "Do you need Tylenol?"

"I never feel the actual blow, really," I shrugged. Kinda hard lying down. "Just the aftershocks. It's not so bad. A little pain never hurt no one." He laughed at that. "What is the saying? 'Pain is weakness leaving the body'."

"Yes. Good night, Neko. We have school again tomorrow."

A sudden fear gripped my still heart. He moved to stand, but I grabbed his arm before he could move anywhere. I wrapped both arms around his elbow. I don't know what possessed me to say it. I don't know what scared me so bad.

I was frightened white.

"Don't leave me," I whimpered. I held to his arm like it was my last link to the world. If he left… If he left, somehow, I knew I would die. Without him, my breath would stop and my body would follow my heart.

"Bri…" He wrapped me in a warm embrace, one that I held onto. "Scoot over. I'll sleep in here tonight."

We didn't do anything, I swear to you. Neither Kurama nor I even thought of what it meant for two people to sleep in the same bed. He forced my eyes to gently close and I was out like a light for the night. His arms were around my shoulders and I held them tight to them with my own.

When we woke up the next morning, it was like a kitten and a fox in the corner of a forest. He was curled around me, stretched out in my bed, and I was in a little ball in his arms.

And I wouldn't have it any other way.

I think this chapter's kinda cute…But it hurts my heart some. Especially the last part. I used to have a friend that I slept in the same bed with (I'M STILL A VIRGIN!). This chapter kind of reminded me of him. He died six years ago.

Just for future reference, I'm going to put all AN at the end of the story from now on. You guys seem to pay more attention to them. I have something to ask you guys! First off, I'll answer questions.

Suntiger: Nope, story's not done. And sequel is on the way after…three more chapters.

Kurayamihikari: I like your idea, but I'm not gonna use it, mostly because by the time I found it, the sequel was already half done. I think it would be cool, though. Why don't _you_ write a story where present-day Kurama goes back in time?

Saori: I know, I loved that phrase, too. "Whatever it is, I want it." I love making jokes about crack because it just seems stupid to me that different things can do things to our bodies. Like chamomile tea, for instance. Soooooo soothing…I drink a cup every night. I, like Bri, have trouble sleeping. That technique that Kurama uses is called the **Jacobson's Relaxation Technique**. Really works.

Sonya-White-Angel: I dunno where anyone got the idea that this story was coming to a close…It's twenty chapters long, and then the sequel, too…

Now, the part you've all been waiting for…

Since I have chained myself to the chair working on the sequel (about half done now, actually), the least you guys can do is give me a little help (Please?). There are several more pairings in the next story. Does anyone want to help me out with the character that ends up mating with Kuronue? She's quarter coyote and her name is Ayame. A former slave of Youko's. I don't know what else to do with her.

Thank you so much for your kindness! Now, I do have another request (yeah, I'm so selfish, aren't I?) Sillylittlenothing has already reviewed it, but can the rest of ya'll go check out the first chapter of Silver Treasures? Thank you soooo much in advance!


	18. Captured

Disclaimer: Don't own Yu Yu Hakusho. Kurama, where is my rose-colored nail polish? You know I have to have it on to portray…_him_.

Kurama: It's on top of your head.

UK: Oh…Stupid me, balancing things there again.

Kurama: **sigh** Please do not place things on your head, UK. It is not a very wise action to take.

UK: But I like balancing things. It makes me fell special.

Kurama: You already are. mutters Special Ed.

UK: beams, unknowing of muttered words Thank you, Kurama!

Kurama: On with the story.

Chapter 18: Captured

… Kurama …

The minute Bri and I entered the classroom, I could feel the girls' eyes fall on Bri. Such loathing creatures. Not one eye, save Keiko and the male population, fell off of Bri as she took her seat. Keiko asked in a hushed voice how everything went. Bri and I both smiled and said it was fine. At last, the girls' eyes strayed from Bri.

Then "Toguro-sensei" entered and hell simmered.

Bri and I turned our assignments in, to which he nodded. He launched into the lecture right away. However, Bri and I were ready. After a year of my garbled English and Japanese, Bri could understand the Japanese language even if you shot it at her at three hundred words a minute.

Which is what Toguro-sensei seemed to be doing.

When he asked her the first question, she promptly answered.

"Wolf, true or false: No creature can live under extreme heat or cold."

"False. One-celled microorganisms thrive in those conditions."

The whole class was, of course, dumbfounded. That was my little Neko. Class continued, but Toguro-sensei seemed to have lost his nerve, being outwitted by Bri. He didn't go quite as fast, and he hopped the "questions" to different people. Some people answered as prompt as Bri. Others did not.

And they paid the price for it.

Classes seemed to go by twenty times too fast. When we parted ways, she ascended into Gina's classroom among her art peers. I went to dodgeball.

I still hadn't really decided where I was going to take her for our date. When the end-of-school bell rang at last, I sprinted to the music room to ask Keiko.

"You're taking her on a _date_?" Keiko blinked in shock. "Um…Well, she loves roses and cherry blossoms, for some reason. I'm sure she'd enjoy your garden. Dinner, probably Sammy's. She liked that. Kurama, I know you've known her for a year, but are you sure…?"

"I've never met anyone like her," I said. "She's different from any other person I've met."

Keiko smiled. "Yusuke said something like that once, too. I won't say anything to her."

"Thank you. See you tomorrow."

"Bye, Shuichi!" she called aloud.

I met Bri under a tree in front of Meikou. A cherry tree, fittingly enough. She smiled when she saw me. She almost shyly held her books closer to her chest. Almost as though she were afraid I'd take them from her. I almost laughed, because I was planning on carrying them for her.

"Want to drop off our books at home first?" she asked.

I shook my head. "I've got a better idea."

I took her hand and led her to a portal that would take us to my garden, one that bordered the edges of Spirit World and the Human World. I covered her eyes, ordering her to close them. I set my books down next to my favorite red rose bush, which stood in a stand of trees.

"Open them," I said. She blinked, then smiled at me. Her eyes roamed the vast garden I'd tended since Koenma had given me the land.

"It's so beautiful here…"

"My garden," I said. "Some of the plants are primarily for attack, but plenty are just for me. This part is for you."

I took a seed from one of the full-bloomed red roses and grew from it a new bush. She smiled. I planted the new bush right underneath a cherry tree.

We did our homework together, just as we had in the Chronodom. I guess you really wouldn't call it a date, necessarily, at that point. I led her all along the Spirit World side of my garden, showing her all the flowers that grew beautiful just for demons and spirits.

Her smile was enough to tell she was enjoying it.

I entwined her fingers in mine. Faintly, I could feel her heartbeat begin. Then it stopped. It happened so often now, that I knew she hardly noticed. I wasn't really sure what to think about it. She was literally a member of the undead.

I loved her too much to care.

"You're so awesome, Kurama," she said. "You can grow a beautiful flower in under a minute. All I can do is read hearts. Gee, too bad I can't really read my own." Bri sighed and plopped next to her rosebush under the cherry tree. "Do you think my heart will ever start and keep beating again?"

"I don't know." I sat down at her side and hugged her close. Just when I'd begun to think of her heart, she does too. Great minds think alike, as they say.

"If that isn't the sweetest thing I've ever seen," said a sarcastic voice. "A little fox and a cat, curled under a cherry tree. Watch out for the rose bush, you might prick your little paws!"

Bri and I leapt to our feet. "Who's there?" Bri demanded.

"You'd think you'd recognize your favorite teacher's voice."

Toguro-sensei stepped out from behind the rosebush from which I'd taken the seeds for Bri's. Had he been there the entire time?

"You," Bri growled. "How'd you get here?"

"Followed Youko's energy signature," he chortled. My eyes narrowed. "It's so distinct, you see. You really ought to be more careful, Youko."

"You're dead, trespasser." I whipped a rose from Bri's bush and manipulated it into my Rose Whip. I swung the whip straight toward his neck.

And he caught it.

He _caught_ the Rose Whip!

"Did you really think that little toy was going to hurt me?" he growled. "The great Gun Wa? You are sadly mistaken, little one."

He yanked the whip, pulling me from Bri and hard onto the ground. In an instant, I couldn't move my limbs. Whatever he'd done to me, I was paralyzed.

But I could still hear and see.

"Pathetic little fool," he said. "Wolf, come here."

She made for the Spirit World side of the garden. Go, Bri! Run!

"It rubs off, I suppose," Gun Wa sighed. He flicked his wrist toward her, and suddenly, Bri was in his arms. She squirmed and punched, but to no avail.

He had her.

And I was helpless.

…

… Bri …

"Let me go, you incredibly awful person, you!" I knew I was being sarcastic and dumb and foolish and vaguely early-childhood television-ish, but I couldn't help it. Gun Wa was carrying me in a very awkward way—upside down and very near a certain area.

Gun Wa didn't answer in words.

Instead, my body refused to respond to any more commands from my brain. It was like the only thing that worked anymore were my eyes (limited and unfortunate point of view), my ears (like I wanted to listen to Gun Wa), and my brain (yeah, I'd _think_ my way out of his arms and away from his I-don't-want-to-think-about-it).

"Bridget Wolf, do you know just how long I've searched for a way to do this?" Gun Wa asked. His voice was a little loud. Why? To let everyone around him hear that he'd caught me? "Your little friends thwarted me last time. I won't let it happen again."

_Again?_

"My real name is Sakyo, as if it mattered to you," he said. "Koenma will rue the day he didn't kill me himself."

Sakyo. I remembered Kurama saying something about Sakyo. Sakyo was the one who dragged them into the Dark Tournament, the one where Karasu bombed him mercilessly. Well, Sakyo and Toguro the Younger. No wonder he was using that name as his teacher name. Gah, too many names!

"I left my human host Sakyo in search of a better demon. I found this one. Stronger even than Toguro was, and I'm betting stronger than even Yusuke Urameshi."

Why was he telling me all this?

"My host was your father's brother. Marion Wolf. A legend unto himself. Gun Wa Wolf was his brother, and he always envied him. He made this plan many years ago. I took it to heart, after I killed off his mind. Gun Wa is as dead as Marion."

I fumed inside. How dare he talk about my father that way! Granted, I'd never known my father anyway, but still! He was my father! He's my blood and heart!

Wait a second. Gun Wa was my dad's brother?

My uncle?

"I don't care if you spent ten years in that Chronodom with that idiot Kurama."

Idiot?

"You won't last a day against me."

He called Kurama an idiot!

"You're helpless. Pathetic partling."

Pathetic!

By now, I wasn't just mad. I was ready to explode. But I couldn't yell at him. I could only see and hear. What good was that gonna do me?

Out of the corner of my eye, I could see that we had entered a dark room full of shadows. I saw several of my teachers all around the room, minus Gunner and Gina. I recognized my math teacher, her wrinkled old face nearest to mine. Gun Wa threw me into a chair in the center of them all. The only good thing about this was that his crotch was no longer in my face.

"D'you think it really worked, Sakyo?" asked one of the twelfth grade teachers. "She an undead?"

How did they find out about the lightning?

That's when it dawned on me.

They'd been the ones to kill me in the first place! But how could they have made Botan botch the rejuvenation?

"I see it in your eyes," Gun Wa smirked at me. "Your heart stopped beating, but you're still alive. I did it myself. It's simple, really. You weren't dead yet when that pathological nightmare of a Grim Reaper revived you. Your brain was still alive. The beauty of Dream energy, when properly controlled."

"Quit acting like we're still in school, imbecile," stated a harsh voice. "She's never going to die, and there you are telling her all about your silly little plan. It's uneconomical."

I'm never going to die?

"My apologies. Matsu, are you ready?"

My math teacher, whose first name I hadn't heard before now, stepped forward. She still had the sharp features of a tall mathematics teacher, but now her face was more menacing. I guess it would be in most kids' nightmares to have their algebra teacher torture them to death.

Now, it seemed it was to become my reality.

"Turn her up, Sakyo," she said, her voice raspy tender. Like someone who's about to make love. Sakyo placed his hand in front of my head.

My head exploded. Millions of tiny bits of information, right down to every emotion of every person within thousands of miles hit me like a two-by-four. I knew, somehow, they could also feel me. My pain, the ripping and tearing at my brain. But my heart stayed silent. Somehow, I knew they could feel that, too.

And I was frozen, helpless to do nothing but see what was in front of me and hear what was going on. Helpless to feel the thousands of people's emotions and confusion. I tried to focus on something, _anything_ other than the voices.

What's going on? 

_Who is that?_

_Why is this happening to me?_

_Why is…?_

_What?_

_How?_

_When?_

_WHY?_

My math teacher's hands expanded. Green energy formed there. Similar to the bombs that had torn Kurama's flesh to pieces at the Dark Tournament, I realized through the haze. Sakyo looked like he was going to cry. Tears of joy?

"Karasu. Put up the shield, please."

In a darkened corner of the room, a man stood. A man whose face I knew all too well. It was Karasu, the demon who had fallen for Kurama and nearly had taken his life. But Kurama said he was dead! For a minute, nothing but that mattered.

And then, Matsu's green energy tore into my flesh.

I couldn't scream. Couldn't cry. Couldn't _move_. I was paralyzed in a burning body, but I could feel every ounce of pain. It transmitted to everyone outside of the room. They crashed to the ground, slammed into trees and buildings in their cars. I heard every cry of pain, and it reverberated around in my own skull. Their screams, their cries…

Babies wailed into the sky, their arms ripped like mine. Women, men, kids at an elementary school down the street. Matsu aimed the second green energy bomb at my chest. I prepared to die.

It plunged into my chest, cutting and slicing my heart to ribbons. But I didn't die. I didn't _die_. I was alive, and I was still there, still _conscious_ as thousands of people died, screaming all around me.

If I could have cried, I would have. If I could have screamed, I would have. If I could have done anything but wail inside my own head as the silence fell. The silence. If anything was worse than the noise of those people in my head, it was the silence when they were dead.

Dead.

All because of me.

Because I was weak.

Pathetic.

Sakyo placed his hand in front of my head and the silence went away. I felt nothing at all anymore, nothing but my own fatal-not-fatal wounds. My history teacher, Une-san, stepped forward.

The physical pain in my arm and chest went away.

But the pain of those deaths would never leave me again.

"Knock 'er out, Karasu," Matsu said. "We're going."

The others left, letting my paralysis leave. Sakyo warned me before he walked out that Karasu could do the same. I only sighed, letting the tears well up in my eyes.

"Did my dear Kurama tell you about me?" Karasu asked sweetly. He had lovely eyes and beautiful hair—all only skin deep. I bared my teeth at him as an answer. "Oh, poor pretty thing. Too bad you can't die. I would love to squeeze your life from you."

"How'd you survive, vermin?" I scowled. He yanked me to my feet, pressed my back against the door, and shut it, all with one swift move. A spark of fear ran up my spine.

What was he doing?

"You're weak, stupid, and pathetic. What does my Kurama see in you?"

I growled despite myself. "He's not _yours_."

"Unlike Kurama, I won't have to destroy you to keep you close," he smirked, pressing me closer to the door. "I get to destroy you _again_ and _again_. And you'll always come back to me. You won't grow old and die."

"Freak!" I pushed as hard as I could on him, but he wouldn't budge. He was too strong for me! He could easily…No, I wouldn't think like that. "Get away from me!" He pressed in closer. "Stop! Stop it!"

Karasu backed away slowly. He then took my hand and led me away, but the fear lingered on my heart. It didn't start to beat again. It sat there inside of me, as dead as the day Keiko and I had died together.

…

Several things. One, THANK YOU THANK YOU THANKYOU all for the reviews! I have never gotten so many! I feel so loved. Although, it's probably Bri you all love more…

Thank you to my email reviewers (you know who you are) for giving me help with Ayame's character. And thank you to Suntiger and sillylittlenothing for their reviewed offers. I think I've got Ayame down now. Arigatou!

And now, the news you ALL want to hear…THE SEQUEL IS COMPLETE! I repeat, the SEQUEL IS COMPLETE! I've decided to call it Wolf's Last Cry and will start uploading it as soon as Heal Me is completed.

Now, to my individual reviewers…

Suntiger: Thank you so much for your offer for help. Somebody else (who wishes to remain anonymous, stupid boy…) helped me with her before I checked the rest of my email. I know who to call if I ever need help again! Thank you soooo much for your continuing support! I decided not to let her mate with Kuronue, though…

RoseFire-shadow: Thank you very much for your concern. Sevon meant a lot to me and the fact that he went out the way he did makes the scar far more deep. I write about death a lot because I know too much about it.

Saori: I love romance, too, it just boggles my mind some of the things people do for love. I've never been there before, but I hope my journey's wonderful and filly with adventure so I can write about it some day. LOL

Sillylittlenothing: I can't tell you how much you've helped me. My brain was blocking everything and you and a few others have helped unblock it. THANK YOU! You know, I didn't think to include everyone's reactions to their new relationship, only Keiko's take on it in this chapter. Everything else kinda just…falls away after this.

Princess Kandra: No worries, they will be up soon.

Next update scheduled for: Wednesday, the 29. I work that night in the computer lab, that's why.


	19. Foiled Plans Within

Chapter 19: Foiled Plans Within

Disclaimer: I don't own YYH, it belongs to some rich Japanese guy in Japan.

…Kurama…

"He's got her! He's got Bri!" I broke through into Genkai's kitchen. The first person I saw was Yusuke, who looked like he'd just been hit in the stomach. I grabbed his shoulders to scream at him. "Yusuke, he's got her!"

"Hold up, Kurama, you're not making sense. Who's got Bri?"

"Gun Wa!" I grabbed the front of his t-shirt. "They have Bri!"

"All right, all right, calm down!" He unwrapped my hands from his throat. "We gotta get everyone else. Think, Kurama! If he could get past you, we've got to have everyone else with us!"

For once in his life, Yusuke was thinking far more rationally than I was. What had this girl _done_ to me? All I could think about was that Gun Wa _had_ her, and what he'd said he would do with her…

Would she be strong enough to last until we got there?

Botan burst into the room.

"Yusuke, Kurama, come quick!" She opened a portal into Koenma's office, where his screen was showing thousands upon thousands of people.

All of who were dead.

In exactly the same manner.

Koenma turned to me in his chair, though no one else seemed able to look at me. It was my fault. I'd let Gun Wa take her. I grabbed at the blank air behind me, trying to catch hold of something. I was going to fall. If Bri…

I'd let all of those people _die_.

And Bri…Was Bri dead?

"Kurama, it's not your fault," Koemna said quietly. "No one could have predicted how strong he is—"

"No. Bri was with me. He tracked down _my _spirit signature. He would not have found her, had I not been with her."

"Kurama…" Koenma sighed. "Whatever you believe, the rest of us know it wasn't your fault. However, it seems that I erred in my belief that Bri's ability to control her powers would solve anything."

A dead child in her dead mother's arms showed on the screen.

"It seems that they found a way around it. Kurama, how did Gun Wa fight you?"

"I don't really know…" I said, thinking to myself. I had to collect my thoughts. If I didn't, who knew what would happen to Bri. If she wasn't already…"Suddenly, I couldn't move. I could only see and hear, and limitedly so. He called Bri to him, even though she was running, she appeared in h-his arms. He _caught_ my Rose Whip as if it were nothing."

"Hmm…Botan, fetch me the Wolf family records." At my curious glance, he spoke again. "We managed to find the records. They were merely misplaced."

What a lot of good it does now…

"Yes, Koenma sir." Botan was only gone for a few minutes before returning with a thin blue envelope. She handed it to Koenma.

"I thought so," Koenma sighed. "Gun Wa Wolf was Bri's father's brother. Her uncle. That would make him an Empathe as well. Therefore, he would know all about the workings of another—"

"But what about her mother's side?" Botan asked. "Tsuki Sawaguchi?"

What did this matter now? Bri was in trouble!

Or worse…dead…

But I'd know if she was dead.

Wouldn't I?

"Her mother is half cat demon," Koenma answered. "Making Bri quarter cat demon."

"Wait a minute, she's a cat?" Kuwabara pushed off the wall.

"Exactly," Koenma nodded gravely. "She has infinite 'lives' after her encounter with lightning. It is part of her cat demon's heritage."

My eyes grew wide. She wasn't dead! "So even if they keep on killing her…"

"She won't die. No matter what they do to her, she won't. But if her Empathe skills are on, others will," Koenma growled. "There's no way of telling where they'll strike next! The Vacant Lot is a powerful circle of demons—"

"I know where."

It was Shizuru, Kuwabara's sister. How she had come into the Spirit World in the first place will always be a mystery to me.

But I will always be grateful to her.

"The port, where we set off toward Hanging Neck. That's where they're going."

"How do you know, sis?"

"Just _trust _me on this," she snapped at her brother. "Get going! Now! Pier 13, in a ship called the _Field_. Room 13."

I didn't care where she'd gotten the information, I grabbed Kuwabara and Yusuke by their shirts and ran out the door. Hiei wasn't far behind. In the hallway, Gina met us with Gunner running at her side.

"Gunner will guard you," Gina said. "I'm going to get someone else to help, too!"

She disappeared down another hall.

I didn't question at all how they'd gotten there. Nor did I want to know. I wanted Bri, safe and sound.

"Hey, kid," Gunner said to me. "Listen, sorry about the woods."

"Huh?"

"I said, sorry about the woods. You remember, when I turned Bri 'up'? I didn't know anything about what Gun Wa was planning."

I faintly remembered Gunner back in the woods, just after Bri had been hurt by my dream about Karasu. It had been so long, I must have forgotten about it.

"Apology accepted," I said. "Just as long as we get Bri out of there."

"Don't worry. We will. My niece needs our help."

I nearly stopped, but the urgency kept my feet moving. "Niece?"

"Yes. Didn't anyone tell you? Gun Wa is my brother. So was Marion. My last name is Wolf, too, but I didn't want Bri recognizing me. Stupid old woman, eh, kid?"

"No," I said.

_Hold on, Bri_, I thought. _We're coming_.

…

…

…

The five of us raced down the pier toward the only ship that seemed to be on it. The side read: _MS Fild_. Suddenly, I could feel Bri's mind and body, already in pain and beginning to grow more and more. An anger raced through my veins, an anger I hadn't known in over thirty years. I barely was aware that I'd turned into my past self, the Youko Kurama of silver hair and twitching tails.

"I'm putting up the shield!" Gunner yelled. After a few minutes, I couldn't feel Bri anymore. But I knew she was there. She was alive. She wouldn't die on me. That's all that mattered at the moment.

That, and keeping anyone else in the area alive.

"Hurry!" Gunner shouted. "They've got Karasu doing it this time!"

This time, I _did_ stop.

"Karasu!"

"No time, Kurama, get going!" Yusuke shouted from ahead. "Bri needs us—_now_!"

I leapt ahead of Yusuke and Kuwabara, onto the ship's plank. They caught up quickly and the five of us raced down the hall.

"Take a right!" Gunner shouted. "He's playing with her for now, but I don't know how long he's going to do that!"

"Knowing Karasu, a long, long time," I muttered.

"I forget that you're the one who gave him his untimely death," Gunner glanced at me. "I think you might want to stay out of this. Karasu isn't exactly the tender loving kind of person. He fell in love with you on sight."

"He's attacking the one that _I_ love," I snapped back. "I'm not about to leave her in his hands."

She nodded silently.

"Stop." Gunner pushed her arms to stop us all. Everyone waited for her to explain. "I'm going to block her powers to the confines of the room. Maybe we can get the others in there that way."

"It might just work," Yusuke said. "Do it."

"He's surrounded her with bombs," Gunner glanced at me again. "His final attack. Karasu wa shindekudasai!" (Translation: Diepolitely, Karasu!)

An instantaneous procession of anguished screams came from the door at the end of the hall. Gunner frowned at it.

"We got some, at least. Karasu, Gun Wa, Une, and Matsu remain. We have our work cut out for us."

Bri screamed.

"Bri!" I broke into a run and burst through the door. Her body was drenched in her own blood, running onto the floor in rivers. Karasu stepped in front of me.

"Hello, Kurama. It's been a while, hasn't it?"

I felt a growl leave my throat. "Get out of my way!"

"Your precious girlfriend will live. I'm not so certain about you, though."

"Karasu, this isn't the time for pleasantries," Matsu (the math teacher) said. "Gun Wa, freeze him, we've got work to do."

"No," Gun Wa smirked. "I've a better idea. Une, heal her, we're getting out of here. Karasu, have fun."

"Oh, goody," Karasu smiled. "I get to have my Kurama to play again! You won't beat me so easy this time, my little fox."

"Rose Whip!" I swiped the rose from within my hair, aimed it in his general direction. He fell off to the side and I followed Gun Wa's energy signature out of the ship.

I lost the signature on the flattop. Karasu, however, had found me.

Delightful.

…

…

…

…Bri…

Forget ever being rescued. Karasu wanted Kurama and me dead. He loved us both; therefore he wanted us dead. I don't know where he gets his logic. I turned my Empathe abilities up myself, so I could see what was going on. Kurama dodged all of Karasu's attacks.

I smiled inwardly. That was _my_ Kurama.

"Why do you like him? He's a _fox_." Sakyo had opened his mouth again. How utterly depressing. I let a faint growl fall from my lips.

"And I'm an Empathe halfling. I don't care what he is."

"You're also quarter cat demon."

I shrugged. I wanted to focus on Karasu and Kurama, not this idiot. "Explains a few things. What's it to you?"

He sighed and leaned against a tree. If I'd only been strong enough, I would have punched his lights out. I would run toward Kurama and together, we'd beat Karasu. Somehow, I guess. I don't know. My brain isn't functioning correctly. Was it something Sakyo had done?

"I know this may come as a shock, but…I really had nothing to do with any of these plans."

I narrowed my eyes at him. "Go on…"

So much for my theory.

"They were all made by Gun Wa. He wanted to get revenge on Marion…for stealing Tsuki from him. This isn't what he looks like, either. I changed his face in your vision."

Sakyo's face morphed and stretched and shrank. When at last he remained the same again, I saw a very familiar face.

Keiko Sawaguchi's father's face.

"After he met you, he didn't want to go through with the plans. But Matsu, Une, and Karasu heard that he was backing out and found my soul. They wanted to go through with these plans and my original plans that I made with Toguro."

"So they forced you to return from the dead, too. I get it now. Peer pressure. Gets 'em every time."

I don't know why, but I trusted Sakyo. Maybe it was just that he had told me everything, even though he apparently wasn't supposed to.

"What do I do?" Sakyo pressed his hands against a tree. "Matsu and Une are going to find us soon, if your friends don't beat them first."

"Why'd you leave Karasu to Kurama? And why's Karasu alive in the first place?"

"No one knows exactly how he came back to life. I saw Kurama kill him myself. Karasu hasn't had a chance to really train since he and Kurama faced off in the Dark Tournament," he said. "Kurama will beat him easily."

There was one thing more that I had to know.

"Why weren't you at Keiko's funeral?"

He seemed taken aback by this.

"K-Keiko died?"

My turn to be shocked. "You didn't _know_?"

"Tsuki hates Gun Wa," he shook his head. "She wouldn't tell him anything."

"Why'd she hate me?"

Gun Wa smiled. "She didn't expect to get pregnant by Marion. It made her a little upset. After Marion died, you were a terrible reminder of that mistake."

I smirked sadly. "Yep, that just about defines me. A series of unfortunate mistakes." I brought up Kurama's mind in my own again, and a smile crossed my face. "He beat him. Like you said."

"Yes. Now we only need find Matsu and Une."

"Not to worry, Sakyo. We found you."

Matsu and Une were right behind us.

…

…

…

Um…Don't worry, peeps, I'm uploading both chapters. The next chapter is the last one! And then, SEQUEL! I'll upload chapter 1 of Wolf's Last Cry this time round, too.


	20. It's a Date!

Chapter 20: Epilogue: It's a Date

…Kurama…

I didn't understand how Karasu had become so careless, but he was dead again. I hoped that he would be intelligent and remain that way. Yusuke, Gunner, and Kuwabara caught up with me, now on the docks outside of the _Field_. I could feel Bri's presence not far away. Gun Wa was with her.

"They're in the forest." I nodded away from the _Field_, in the general direction I sensed Bri. "If we hurry, we can catch them."

"Hold it!"

"Shizuru, what are you doing here?" Kuwabara turned to face his sister.

"It isn't Gun Wa you have to worry about!" she shouted. "Stupid! He's been protecting her from the _start_!"

What?

"What do you mean?"

"The real Gun Wa is dead!" Shizuru said. "It's Matsu and Une, they're the ones who wanted to make the tunnel!"

"How do you know all of this?" I demanded. In my calm voice, the one I knew well. The one that the old Youko's voice made all the more menacing. Shizuru, however, was unaffected by it.

"You don't have time, just go. Get going, you idiots!"

Whatever. I raced down the pier and plunged into the forest depths. I was barely aware that Yusuke and Kuwabara were at my side, and Gunner and Shizuru weren't too far behind. We broke into a clearing, where Bri and a stranger who smelled suspiciously of Gun Wa stood. Matsu and Une weren't very far away.

"The gig's up, Sakyo," Matsu growled. "We know what you've been doing."

"Kurama, so good of you to join us." Une grinned. "Gunner, is that who I spy back there? Are you the traitor who led to Sakyo's betrayal?"

"Sakyo?" I glanced at the stranger. Was it a coincidence?

For a moment, no one moved.

Suddenly, Matsu and Une collapsed to the ground. Their heads rolled up against a nearby tree. In the shock of a single moment, it dawned on me what had happened.

They were dead.

Hiei stood behind the two, sniffing at the blood on his sword.

"Hn. Low-level scum." Bri blinked at him, at me, and at Shizuru. Finally, her gaze rested on the stranger.

"Thank you for your help," the stranger said softly. "Shizuru."

"What is this?" Yusuke growled.

"Let's find somewhere more comfortable to discuss this," said the stranger. "It will take some time to go through it all again."

When next I glanced at where the bodies of Matsu and Une had been, they were gone.

…

…

…

…Bri…

I think Sakyo was the only one who knew the entire truth of what had happened. It seems all a bit too anticlimactic, though, doesn't it? After all that time, it was Sakyo and Shizuru who really put everything back together again. Granted, it was my uncle Gun Wa who really started the mess, but his mind was dead as long as Sakyo possessed him.

It was well into the early morning hours when the story was finished, with all who'd been involved present. The only person I really didn't understand her connection with all this was Gina. I asked her about it as everyone was getting up.

"Oh, I'm just a friend of Gunner's," she smiled. "I was Marion, Gunner, and Gun Wa's friend since I was real small. Full cat demon, me. I'm a weak, weak Empathe. Marion taught me how to turn myself off." She turned to Sakyo. "So, Sakyo, Toguro, Gun Wa, whichever you want to call yourself—what are we going to do about the school?"

"I've been thinking about that myself quite a bit," he nodded. "We will close the school for a few weeks, and reopen once we've found enough teachers to replace those we've lost. I rather like teaching science."

"I was hoping you'd say that," Gunner grinned. "I don't care if you took my brother's body, I like you."

That had to be one of the weirdest comments I've heard since I first was told who the suave teenage Koenma really was.

Everyone boarded the train to go home. Kurama and I got off at Nemoi and made our way slowly down the street. For some reason, the trolley wasn't running. Even if it was, I doubted we would have gotten on it.

Most of the shops were closed, with the exception of the McDonald's. Kurama guided me into the restaurant by my shoulder. It was then that I realized just how hungry I was. It was nearly five in the morning, and I hadn't eaten anything since lunch yesterday. We ordered some new thing that McDonald's was doing (chicken-something) and sat at a table way in the far corner.

"I'm sorry." We both blurted out at once. I laughed softly. "Why are you sorry?"

He sighed. "I promised you an official date, and it was completely ruined…"

"I liked the first part, but next time, skip the kidnapped-Bri-then-torture-her-to-an-undeath part," I laughed, but it really wasn't funny. "I'm sorry for getting you mixed up in this in the first place. By the way, how's Karasu?"

Kurama chuckled. "If he somehow manages to come back to life after being eaten alive by my Death plant, I might have to reconsider my strategy with him."

"Speaking of dates, Kurama, what do you call what we're doing now?" We were in a restaurant at an ungodly hour of the morning, completely alone. Even the workers seemed to have disappeared. My clothes were covered in my blood and he was covered in Karasu's.

"An improv date," he smiled.

"Okay, I'll go with that. Now it's official. Um…what on Earth are we going to tell Kaasan?"

"I sort of told her that we were spending the night at Hiei's…"

"Um, Kurama? Where does Hiei _live_, exactly?"

He shrugged. "No one really knows. He has a tree that I usually meet him at in the forest, but that's all I know."

"Weird. A fire demon who lives in a tree?"

"Yes, it does sound a bit strange."

"Coming from this group, that's tame," I rolled my eyes. "Since when did I start hanging out with such weird people?"

"Hey!"

"You doth protest?"

"I doth indeed!"

I laughed at our Shakespearean attempts. "Sorry, I didn't mean it like that. I'm pro'l'ly the weirdest of the bunch."

"I don't think that's true."

I shrugged. By then, I'd finished my meal. Kurama had finished long before I did.

Neither of us really wanted to get up and move, though.

"Hey, I just remembered something," Kurama said, leaning back in his chair. "Before we went to that ship to rescue you, Gina said something about getting someone else. She went _deeper_ into Spirit World to do it…"

The bell of the McDonald's rang shrilly in the air. The sound of two footsteps on the floor met my ears. Kurama's eyes went slightly wider.

"Gina, what are you doing here?" he asked. "Who's this?"

I turned around to see who was with her.

My heart started beating again.

"K-Keiko?" I whispered.

"Hey, Neko. Ya miss me?"

"Koenma brought her back," Gina said. I didn't quite believe my ears. "Tsuki Sawaguchi has been charged with murder by Enma's decree. So…We thought it might be proper to request Shuichi's mother if she could take on another student. Still gotta find the half demon, though. Could be anytime…"

"I'm so sorry, Neko, I wanted to tell you... Mom and my dad were plotting to kill you! But dad…he didn't want—"

"Slow down, you're a little behind," Gina grinned, her hands on Keiko's shaking shoulders. Keiko had never shook like that before.

I stood slowly from the table. I wasn't quite sure if this was real. Maybe I'd wake up in my bed back in Kansas, and I'd tell Keiko all about this weird dream. Somehow, though, I knew it was true. Keiko had been murdered, so had I, and Koenma was gracious enough to bring us both back.

"Keiko!" I threw my arms around her neck. "Of all the stupid things, why did you get caught?"

"Same ol' Neko," she grinned. "Now come on, we've got to go home."

My heart stopped beating again after a while. It did that a lot. It would start up again for a while, then stop. On graduation day from Meikou High School, it beat all day long. It stopped again that night, after all the partying was over.

But for right now, I was happy to be with my best friend, my now-official boyfriend, and all of my weird-but-wonderful friends. I guess it just goes to show that the strongest of us all isn't the one you thought it would be.

Shoot, I figured that Kurama would be the one to beat 'em up and save the day. And he did, to a point. But it was me, Keiko, Shizuru, Gunner, and Gina that really did it all. Hiei who dealt the killing blows. With a little help from the boys, of course. But, eh, I was heartsick. I wanted nothing more than death itself. I got it—a few too many times, if you ask me. I'm not completely healed, but I'm not dead.

I'm happy.

No one else has died yet.

And to me, that's all that matters.

_Heal me_

_I'm heartsick  
I'm hungry and _

_I'm broken  
_

_I'm haunted, and weeping  
Blood of heaven _

_Flowing like a river tonight _

_Tears I can't fight on my own  
_

_I'm a haunted, weeping_

_I'm hung and barely breathing  
The drowning ocean, start the sun in motion.  
There's a pill on my tongue _

_A shot from a gun of my own_

_I'm lonely as a star_

(Chorus)  
So heal me

_I'm heart sick  
Hungry_

_But I can survive on you  
Heal my heartsick hungry cries  
I'm heartsick_

Father, free me. Mama, hold and feed me.  
Child of fury

_Lost his way but don't worry.  
_

_I won't stop til the dawn,  
Though I've been too long on the run _

_I grow strong and restless as a storm  
_

Yea! I'm done! Heal Me, I'm Heartsick is a single by No Vacancy and I think it's old, but it really helped me get through a lot of junk that got tossed my way. Keiko Sawaguchi is the character of a good friend of mine who did indeed kill herself. I changed the name to protect her. She's watching me right now, I think. This story is dedicated to her.

Domo arigatou gozaimasu!

Now, I'm going to go start the sequel. Wolf's Last Cry. I want to let you know one last thing before I start thanking all the cool people who read this.

Keiko Sawaguchi is a little…different from what Bri perceived her to be.

Now, here are my thank you notes!

SilverDragon: Thank you for the Youko thing, I totally forgot about it. I rewrote nineteen to include your idea. Arigatou!

Saori: Um…I kinda figured that the "freeze" thing would wear off after a few minutes…I dunno exactly where I got the idea. But just that Gun Wa and a few others knew it.

Kurayamihikari: Thank you, I try to be as evil as possible. Yes, this part of the story will end…now. Yeah. But Sequel is up! Sequel! Wolf's Last Cry!

Sillylittlenothing: Um…You know what? I kinda had nothing more for Karasu to do than to walk in, intimidate Bri, get killed again by Kurama, and walk back off. I'm thinking that might not have been such a great idea…I'll see in the reviews, ne? And thank you again for unblocking me!

Suntiger: Sweetcakes, you know computers are sacred havens, right? I can't write unless I'm on the computer in my room (which doesn't have internet…it's a 94 model with ONLY Word on it.). So, I know how your dad feels about his comp. But doesn't mean he should take advantage of it and keep you from updating Varia's story! . That's just mean!

Here is a list of all the people's who have lovingly followed the first part of Bri's tale. I hope to see ya'll at the sequel! I will check the reviews against the list! Note: I'm listing all the peeps who reviewed, period. I see you multiple times, I'll put numbers there. I love ya'll!

Special thanks to: Suntiger, sillylittlenothing, Saori Aki Orimi, and Angel of the Dragon (not listed).

omasuoniwabanshi

TelexDarkRyuu

Suntiger12345678

Arano Honou

crazy-lil-nae-nae

kurayamihikari123456

sillylittlenothing123456

Nikoru1

tsuki no sakura

stuck-in-a-tree12

Crimson-Juno

chaos tenshi

Saori Aki Orimi12345

Sonya-White-Angel12

ShadowDragon394

SallyWalker

Kurama's Megami

SilverDragon63

Princess Kandra12

RoseFire-shadow666


End file.
